Friday, January 12, 2024  

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Scripture Reading
Psalm 29

Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.

Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name; worship the Lord in holy splendor.

The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the Lord, over mighty waters.

The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.

The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars; the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon.

He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, and Sirion like a young wild ox.

The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire.

The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness; the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

The voice of the Lord causes the oaks to whirl, and strips the forest bare; and in his temple all say, “Glory!”

The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; the Lord sits enthroned as king forever.

May the Lord give strength to his people! May the Lord bless his people with peace!(NRSV)

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Reflection

2024 started off strong for my family as we watched the University of Michigan football team win the Rose Bowl! We cheered in front of the family room TV, eagerly listening as our favorite running back publicly thanked God for helping him recover from an injury that made it possible for him to play football again. In the coverage that followed, another player said, “God kept me up there,” sharing his belief that it was God who allowed him to catch a spiraling football that sent the game into overtime. And so my children wondered, “Does God choose sides in sporting events? Is God a Michigan fan?”

While I don’t believe that God chooses winners and losers, I love to hear someone share that a spectacular achievement is not theirs alone. The psalmist mentions the Lord in nearly every line, specifically the Lord’s voice; in Genesis, God simply speaks, and the world comes into being! Here, God’s voice is so powerful that it shakes nature and nations. Just as the psalmist names God’s power to provide both strength and peace, an athlete knows that God is in the struggle and victory.

As I write this, I don’t know if our Wolverines will win the national championship (if we lost, please keep my sons in your thoughts and prayers today). If we won? To God be the glory! And if we lost? To God be the glory! Whatever happens in 2024, may we look and listen for God at work. We may not have indisputable video evidence for how God works, but when we catch even a glimpse of God’s power, we join the psalmist in crying “glory!”

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Prayer
Awesome God, we give you all the glory, thanks, and praise! Amen.

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Written by Amy Pagliarella, Parish Associate for Caring Ministries

Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

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