Devotion • March 13
Today's Hymn
“My Song Is Love Unknown”
Sometimes we strew his way,
and his sweet praises sing,
resounding all the day
hosannas to our King.
Then “Crucify!”
is all our breath,
and for his death
we thirst and cry.
by Samuel Crossman
Hymn 209, Glory to God
verse 3
Reflection
People intrigue me, and this verse sums up one of the myriad reasons. I am amazed at how quickly we can be turned from positive thoughts and actions to negative ones. A quick look at social media trends easily demonstrates how someone who is celebrated one moment becomes a target for the slings and arrows of the media platform. Why does this happen?
As we continue to isolate ourselves in our personal, professional, or political echo chamber, it is easy to listen to or to listen for only those with whom we agree or who agree with us. We laud these folks. We “like” their pages. We share their messages with other like-minded individuals. But what happens when that same individual lets us down or makes a statement we don’t agree with?
In this stanza of the hymn, we were praising our King all the day. Here is the Messiah. The mighty one that would liberate his people and make them powerful or wealthy or worthy again. But that is not who the Christ was or is. This inevitably forces us to face ourselves. We wanted the Christ to change others, but that was not the plan. Christ didn’t come to change others. Christ came to change each of us, not all of them. That may be the crux of the change in the hymn from acclamation to accusation. Change others? Great, have at it. Change me?? Just a darn second! You just went from preachin’ to meddlin’.
Prayer
Almighty and everlasting God, it’s easy to feel good about my faith when I don’t challenge it. During this Lenten season, help me to look deeply into my own faith to see those things that you would change in me. Give me the strength to leave my comfortable space and reengage with your word, your work, and your world. In the name of and for the sake of Christ. Amen.
Written by Robert Sinclair, Member of Fourth Presbyterian Church
Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church
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