February 13
Psalm 24
1 The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it;
2 for he founded it on the seas
and established it on the waters.
3 Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord?
Who may stand in his holy place?
4 The one who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who does not trust in an idol
or swear by a false god.
5 They will receive blessing from the Lord
and vindication from God their Savior.
6 Such is the generation of those who seek him,
who seek your face, God of Jacob.
7 Lift up your heads, you gates;
be lifted up, you ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
8 Who is this King of glory?
The Lord strong and mighty,
the Lord mighty in battle.
9 Lift up your heads, you gates;
lift them up, you ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
10 Who is he, this King of glory?
The Lord Almighty—
he is the King of glory.
I feel like I’ve gone on a journey as I go through this Psalm. Beginning in the place of creation, all things belonging to God as he created all things (vv. 1-2). Seeing that we cannot approach God in our sin, as with the fall in Genesis 3, but that we need to be given a clean heart, as with the end of Genesis 3, and most of what will follow in the Bible (vv. 3-6). Seeing the coming of the king, the Messianic promises that come in so many places, which are made imminent in the coming of Jesus, with words we often use for Epiphany (vv.7-10). Epiphany messages that carry us beyond the birth, life, death and resurrection into the return of Christ, with our resurrection and the renewal of all things.
All these pieces of life, salvation and renewal are works of God in life. We are called in the center of the Psalm into our places of living. Seeking the face of God. Lifting up our heads with the gates to see the King of Glory.
Tomorrow we will enter into the season of Lent, with Ash Wednesday. Some going to services where ashes will be place on their heads. Others will not notice the transition till we come in worship this Sunday, with the change coming to look at Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. Looking at our need for renewal.
Lent as simply giving something up for a season gives us a season of giving something up. Lent as a beginning of change in life takes us to seeking the face of God as we look at the King of Glory, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. Whether we see it as giving something up, or picking something up, do it not for the few weeks. Make a change that we can keep for the life that we continue to live beyond Lent and Easter. Changing in our focus on Jesus as our King, looking to him for the renewal that brings us to the “holy place”, the “mountain of the Lord.” See Jesus and follow in these days of Lent, and in our continued life of following.
Song – Give Us Clean Hands
Prayer
Perfect Light of revelation, as you shone in the life of Jesus, whose coming we celebrate, so shine in us and through us, that we may become beacons of truth and compassion, enlightening all creation with deeds of justice and mercy. Amen.