Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“Praise the Lord!
O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
for his steadfast love endures for ever.
Who can utter the mighty doings of the Lord,
or declare all his praise?
Happy are those who observe justice,
who do righteousness at all times.”
NL Daily Devotion for Monday, January 20, 2020
by Dr. Kimberly Leetch, Clergy Stuff
Over and over again, God's people failed God. But time and time again, God did not fail the people. No matter what they did, what trouble they got themselves into, how many times they turned away from God, did what God asked them not to do, followed other gods -- despite all of that, God seems to have a soft spot for God's people. God never stops loving, never stops being present, never abandons people.
Once, while I was doing some intense personal growth work, I was asked to make a timeline of my life -- the highs and lows, the significant events, celebrations and losses. Then I was asked to place upon the timeline an overlay of when I felt closest to God and when I felt the most distant. Not surprisingly, the times when I was self-absorbed, doing my own thing, and suffering consequences for my bad behaviors, I felt the farthest from God. But the times when I stopped thinking of myself first were the times I felt closest to God. The high and low events themselves didn't seem to be the marker of closeness or distance. Sometimes I felt close to God when I was experiencing a terrible loss. Other times I felt distant when I was making a lot of money. It wasn't the external things that dictated my relationship with God -- it was my own focus on myself and my gains, or on God and on others that seemed to make the most difference.
Through it all, God never left the scene entirely. And during the periods of distance, I always came back around to a closeness with God. No matter what I did, God was always there for me when I was ready to come back to God.
Thank you God, that you’re always there for me to return to. Amen.
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