Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“Do not put your trust in princes, in mortals, in whom there is no help. When their breath departs, they return to the earth; on that very day their plans perish.”
NL Daily Devotion for Saturday, August 28, 2021
by R. M. Fergus, Clergy Stuff
Security is a myth. The idea that we can create a life that’s free of pain and risk is frivolity. Yet so many pursue it relentlessly. We think if we just live in the right neighborhood or have the right job or go to the right college we’ll have some guarantee of such a life. This is what the psalmist is talking about. It’s putting our trust in princes and mortals—finite things with no real lasting power.
God calls us into a different life. A life of love for our neighbor. That kind of love requires risk and will include pain. Real, sacrificial love always does. But without that kind of love, I don’t think we can experience real joy. Living the kind of life God calls us to requires us to place our trust in God, knowing that no matter what happens, God is there with us. And it’s worth any risk.
Do I find myself looking for security even if it’s a myth? Where and how? How do I put my trust in God?