Daily Psalter Reading - Fifth Thursday

Today's reading: Psalms 112-117 (113-118)

The snares of death encompassed me; the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me; I suffered distress and anguish.
Then I called on the name of the LORD: "O LORD, I beseech thee, save my life!" - Psalm 115/116:3-4

There is a lot of popular theology in our culture that promises a life free from problems. The people who preach this message would have you believe that the only thing standing between you and your "best life" is a lack of faith. If you have been following along with even a small portion of these Psalter readings you will see that David, the man after God's own heart, certainly experienced his fair share of tribulations. Lent serves as a reminder that life is not about our pleasure, leisure, or treasure. Instead, life is about restoring a right relationship with ourselves, our neighbors, and our God. 

Jesus himself promises us that we will experience difficulty in this life. "I have said this to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." (John 16:33) Let us remember that the promise from Christ is not that he will remove tribulation from us, but that he will provide us with the necessary tools to experience tribulation with a spirit of peace. May we all strive to acquire that spirit all the more vigorously in these last short days of Lent.

---