Offer It Up

A Reflection on the Psalm for November 28th, 2021:
​First Sunday of Advent

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Psalm 25

R. To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.

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. 

R. To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.

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. 

R. To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.

All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his decrees. The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him, and he makes his covenant known to them. 

R. To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.
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When I was a hospital chaplain, my colleagues and I would often look at each other, and with a touch of humour encourage each other to “offer it up”. Whether it was a difficult visit with a patient, challenges with hospital staff (or each other), a difficult day, or frustrating policies and procedures, “Offer it up!” we’d say to one another with a smile. It was often a means to break the tension and provoke a smile from the person to whom we were spouting such wisdom. But in the lean into levity there was also great truth in our suggestions to offer up our difficulties to God.


We offer our prayers to God. However, it’s not often that I’ve thought about offering up my soul to God as the psalmist invites. He already knows my soul doesn’t He? And honestly, right now in the ups and downs of today’s world, my soul is a mess. If I were to lift up my soul now I think all God would find is hurt, tiredness, loneliness, uncertainty, frustration, and a zillion other emotions. Our world  seems like such a crazy place right now that my soul feels weakened and beat down. How can I lift up such brokenness to our God?


I think the better question is: how can I not? I know all that God has done for me. When I allow that head knowledge to become heart knowledge I can lift this broken soul to our steadfast and faithful God. He gave me this soul, and placed Himself in it to remind me that He is with me in the joys and the messes — especially the messes — of  this life. This soul is His gift to me, and His gifts work best when they are given to others. And in this case, when I offer that gift back to Him.


My soul holds a depth that I can forget or take for granted. It is so much deeper than I can imagine. On the surface, my soul may be battered and bruised but when I take a moment to lift it up to God, I can, in that same moment, breathe deep and know that He will dust off the surface to reveal the depths of my soul where His Love abides… along with deep joy, hope, and life. God’s love never leaves my soul. My soul can be bruised and beaten but it cannot be emptied of the Light within; a light that can never be extinguished. It may be covered or hidden, or flickering and faint, but it never goes out. It is always there, waiting to be drawn upon and equally anticipating to be fed. And when I cannot feed it, God can. So, I must offer it up. 




Aurea Sadi

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