Wait and See

A Reflection on the Psalm for October 4th, 2020:
The Solemnity of Saint Francis of Assisi

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Psalm 80

R. The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.

You brought a vine out of Egypt; you drove out the nations and planted it. It sent out its branches to the sea, and its shoots to the River. 

R. The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.

Why then have you broken down its walls, so that all who pass along the way pluck its fruit? The boar from the forest ravages it, and all that move in the field feed on it. 

R. The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.

Turn again, O God of hosts; look down from heaven, and see; have regard for this vine, the stock that your right hand planted. 

R. The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.

Then we will never turn back from you; give us life, and we will call on your name. Restore us, O Lord God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved. 

R. The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.

Pause. Pray. 

And then read more...

Sometimes, we are forced to wait in our suffering. I can relate to the psalmist’s cries to God: Let your face shine that I might be saved! Please, Lord, take away the pain of the effects of my sin and of this broken world. You’ve made this your vineyard, why are you not protecting it? Why are you not fixing it? 

I can also relate to the bargaining strategy: Then, we will never turn back from you (like we did before). I’ll never do it again, Lord, I promise!

God's silence can be so frustrating. Sometimes it seems that the more urgent our perceived need, the more silent He appears to be. 

But... as a parent, I can also relate to His silence. Sometimes there just isn’t anything to say. I think of a small child, having a tantrum... I once saw a beautiful video where a father sat on the floor alongside his toddler, who was having a meltdown of epic proportions. The child stomped and jumped and laid on the floor and climbed over his shoulder and kicked and pushed and that dad just gently kept the child from hurting him and hurting herself, offered her his arms and sat quietly beside her as she cried out in frustration and pure emotion. The child was persistent in the tantrum for a good amount of time — but the father simply sat. Eventually, her sobs quieted and she virtually melted into his arms. Her relief was palpable, and her quiet allowed his voice to be heard. 

The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel. There is an assurance in that refrain, a constancy, a comfort. God has planted it. He has regard for it. He does give us life. And He has saved us.

Lord, thank you for listening to my cries. Help me to fall into Your arms and quiet my voice so that Yours can be heard.



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Lindsay Elford

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