“Weighty Trust”

(Written as today’s guest post for the “Practicing Families” blog in their Lectionary Mondays series…)

Scripture: Psalm 25:1-10
To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
O my God, in you I trust;
do not let me be put to shame;
do not let my enemies exult over me.
Do not let those who wait for you be put to shame;
let them be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.

Make me to know your ways, O Lord;
teach me your paths.
Lead me in your truth, and teach me,
for you are the God of my salvation;
for you I wait all day long.

Be mindful of your mercy, O Lord, and of your steadfast love,
for they have been from of old.
Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions;
according to your steadfast love remember me,
for your goodness’ sake, O Lord!

Good and upright is the Lord;
therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
He leads the humble in what is right,
and teaches the humble his way.
All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness,
for those who keep his covenant and his decrees.

Memory Verse
“To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul. O my God, in you I trust.” – Psalm 25:1-2

Reflection
I was a little girl when my grandfather – “Grandpa Dick” – left for Malawi. For about a year, he worked with the Presbyterian Church of Lilongwe. When he returned, he brought back beautiful things and beautiful stories, like the African nativity set we will pull out during Advent in a week or the memories of the people he met. Though Grandpa Dick didn’t become fluent in Chichewa (one of the native languages), he learned bits and pieces. I remember him teaching me the meaning of “faith” in Chichewa was a deep form of trust. In fact, the literal meaning was “to put all of one’s weight upon something.”

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