Wholehearted

A Reflection on the Psalm for February 16th, 2020:
​Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Psalm 119

R. Blessed are those who walk in the law of Lord!
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Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord. Blessed are those who keep his decrees, who seek him with their whole heart. 

R. Blessed are those who walk in the law of Lord!

You have commanded your precepts to be kept diligently. O that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes! 

R. Blessed are those who walk in the law of Lord!

Deal bountifully with your servant, so that I may live and observe your word. Open my eyes, so that I may behold wondrous things out of your law. 

R. Blessed are those who walk in the law of Lord!

Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes, and I will observe it to the end. Give me understanding, that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart. 

R. Blessed are those who walk in the law of Lord!

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I'm so good at dividing my attention. Or, more truthfully, I divide my attention all the time, but I'm not always very good at it at all. We seem to live in a very distracted and distracting time. The news cycle, updates, text messages, notifications, emails, etc., never stop. We're pushed and pulled in so many different directions all the time. I try to do too many things at once, think about too many things at once, communicate with too many people at once. It's exhausting and often not very efficient or effective.  

I struggled with the psalm today. The writer talks about people who seek God with all their hearts. Honestly, I'm pretty adept at dividing my heart too. I can't say that I've often been one to seek God with my whole heart. I'm often hesitant to give it all to Him. I'm also pretty quick to take parts of it back once I have given it to Him. I like to keep space for my own plans, my own hopes, my own dreams. This is also often exhausting, ineffective, and inefficient. I think that's pretty natural and I think God understands this tendency of ours.  

Though I often get frustrated with myself, God is endlessly patient and kind. He never stops inviting us to experience His love. He never tires of welcoming us when we turn to Him. His mercies are new every morning, and every day is a new opportunity to seek Him with our whole heart. Praise God. Thanks be to God.




​Morgan MacKenzie

Photo by Carolyn V on Unsplash

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