January 29: The Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany
For we are brought to an end by your anger; by your wrath we are dismayed. You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence. For all our days pass away under your wrath; we bring our years to an end like a sigh. The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away. Who considers the power of your anger, and your wrath according to the fear of you? –Psalm 90:7-11
This beautiful poetry reminds me of Ecclesiastes, yet its authorship is attributed to Moses; as the superscript reads, “a song of Moses, the man of God.” And like all men who call themselves by that name, this man knows the nature of life in the vale of shadows. It is in the midst of this life of faith, that he wrote this poem, a hauntingly beautiful picture of the reality of the life we live on earth. You might be tempted to glaze over it as “one of the sad ones,” but I’d like to persuade you to take a closer look and see and believe that even in sadness and death, God in His infinite goodness has provided hope for you.
Contrary to the overwhelming tide of popular opinion, the Christian life is not about your “best life now.” Moses, the man of God, knew this. He wrote here that since God sets our iniquities before Himself, exposes our sins to the light of His presence, “all our days pass away under God’s wrath.” Yikes. Moses says that this is the reason that even though we are living, we’re also dying. Ouch. And then, he hit us with this one: your days are soon gone and your entire life (that little dash between your birthdate and deathdate) are filled with toil and trouble.
I’m not really seeing this working with the worship band and the computer modulated worship lighting. Are you?
And trust me; if the mere mention of God being justly angry and wrathful when He considers your litany of sins and transgressions repulses you, you’re not alone. As a matter of fact, I think you’re in the popular majority, the self-justified.
But for those who upon considering the wrath of God and call Him right in His judgment, they will come to the end of themselves, to the end of their attempts to justify themselves and will throw their hands over their mouths and embrace what Job said, “I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eyes sees you; therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.”
For these, hope is found in the One whose whole life was consumed with toil and trouble beyond compare. He is the One who felt the power of divine anger as it crushed Him to death. Christ is the One who sighed, “It is finished,” and who did not return to dust, but rose triumphant over the grave. Jesus is the One who will satisfy you in the morning with His steadfast love that you may rejoice and be glad all your days.
And that’s the gospel! Come hear it preached and enacted in the supper with Jesus this Sunday.
The related hymns we’ll sing are:
Come Christians, Join to Sing
Like a River Glorious
Our God, Our Help in Ages Past (Psalm 90)
SUNDAY SCHOOL
The adult Sunday school class will continue in 1 Peter 4. Audio of the Sunday school lessons is now being posted each week on the audio page of the church website.
The children’s Sunday school classes meet on the top floor (you can use the elevator by the chapel if necessary). The adult class is on the basement level (again, the elevator is available) in what is labeled the “Disciples Class.” Coffee and treats begin at 9:15 and class beings at 9:30 (or so).
Visitors are always welcome!