The Bigger Picture

A Reflection on the Psalm for May 30th, 2021:
The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity

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Psalm 33

R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen as his heritage.

The word of the Lord is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness. He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord. 

R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen as his heritage.

By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and all their host by the breath of his mouth. For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm. 

R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen as his heritage.

Truly the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love, to deliver their souls from death, and to keep them alive in famine. 

R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen as his heritage.

Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and shield. Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you. 

R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen as his heritage.

Pause. Pray.

And then read more...

What a beautiful invitation! 

By His word, and the breath of His mouth, God has created the world, and all of us within it; His love is throughout, woven into everything He is and does. Our souls wait for Him, long for Him, even when we don’t know who He is. 

The freedom of surrender to this power is the key. There are so many things in this world that may demand my obedience; my desire for comfort, for example. Ahh, a little more sugar won’t hurt me today. Another snooze on my alarm clock? No worries. Go for a walk, you say? No thanks, I already walked a lot at work today. And yes, thank you, I’d rather complain about my sore back than do some stretching and strengthening exercises. 

Of course, these are very small potatoes compared to some of the other ways in which I can obey desires for self-indulgence rather than embrace the loving discipline of God’s fatherhood. These small things may seem innocent enough, but when they are viewed as a collective, they point to my distrust that God is present even in my discomfort and self-denial; that He can keep me alive in that so-called famine. 

He loves me, even in my failures. He knows who I am. He knows who I can be. And I know, deep inside, what I’m capable of, especially with His help. The truth is, who and what I obey is a choice I have to make in every moment of my day. If I truly believe and trust that all His work is done in faithfulness, that the Earth is full of His love. It is true that when I respect and honour Him, I experience His blessing. I feel better when I take care of my body, by eating well and exercising. I feel better when I take care of my soul by actively listening for the promptings of the Spirit and learning about who God is through Jesus. I feel better when I pursue psychological healing, because it makes more space in my heart for Him and for others. I feel better when I invest in relationship with people. I feel better when I learn, work, rest, and play with a heart inclined toward Him and His kingdom; the bigger picture.

I sit now in gratitude for the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. And maybe today I’ll go for a walk.  




​Lindsay Elford

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