Scripture Reading: Psalm 128:1-6, Psalm 129:1-8, Psalm 130:1-8, Psalm 131:1-3, Psalm 132:1-18, Psalm 133:1-3, Psalm 134:1-3
The reminders list in my phone is long.
- Sign up for the volunteer opportunity at school
- Make a meal for the new mom at church
- Schedule an eye doctor appointment for one child, a counseling appointment for the other
- Finish my Bible study for this week’s discussion
- Text back my neighbor to check in after the flu hit hard
There are stresses over being a good neighbor and a thoughtful parent and trying to remember everyone’s little things so that they feel cared for and seen. This list doesn’t even include being a thoughtful citizen in today’s politically charged atmosphere. We’re all trying to do our best, but the media tells us we should be doing more.
The needs of the people around me feel heavy. And I foolishly try to tackle them all on my own. A mentor of mine once reminded me that I am finite; I was not made to consume and take on every single care that I see. That is not God’s intent for me or for you. In the season of Lent, we are asked to remember the reality of sin and death and our need for a Savior. So we must stop trying to play savior ourselves and instead find ourselves coming to God, in prayer, as the psalmists did.
This psalm of ascent, like many of the psalms, spans from desperation to assurance. But the thread that runs through the whole psalm is recounting the character of God and finding assurance in His promises. In this act of worship, we pause to bring God into our concerns, trusting in His love for His people, David encourages us.
“Israel, put your hope in the LORD. For there is faithful love with the LORD, and with him is redemption in abundance.”
—Psalm 130:7
We wait on the Lord, remembering all the ways He has been faithful to us. We look to the cross and know that Jesus has reconciled everything through His blood (Colossians 1:20). My hope is in God, who has the capacity to take on the cares and concerns of my world. His abundance covers everything I lack. My to-do list becomes my prayer list because I know God cares about these things. I can rest in Him, even in the midst of life’s chaos, and experience the calm and quiet of my soul (Psalm 131:2)—peace.
Written by Bailey Hurley
