Mail Archive of the old Santa Clara Valley Lutheran Parish

Subject: devotion for 12.13

Date: Fri, 11 Dec 2009 22:24:43 -0800 (PST)

From: David Bonde <pastorbonde@gmail.com>

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Subject: devotion for 12.13
From: David Bonde <pastorbonde@gmail.com>
To: SCVLP <scvlp@googlegroups.com>
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PSALM 57

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me,
for in you my soul takes refuge
I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings
until the disaster has passed by.

In the shadow of your wings.

We hear these words as if Jesus were speaking
as he did about Jerusalem,
whom he would have gathered beneath his wings
like a mother hen shielding her chicks.

But perhaps this is not so tender an image.

Perhaps the wings here are the wings of the seraphim
standing guard over the ark of the covenant.
Wings that bear fierce power.
Wings that guard the promises of God
that no Word of the Lord should fall to the ground.

The text says this is a miktam of David =93When he had fled from Saul
into the cave.=94

He has felt the hands of the prophet upon his head.
He has felt the oil run down his head
He has seen the stone fly straight and true
and held the Lord=92s victory in his hand.
But Saul has also tried to pierce him through with his spear,
has slaughtered the seventy priests of Nob who gave him Goliath=92s
sword,
has chased him into the wilderness,
into the cave.

I take refuge in the shadow of your wings.

His refuge is not the cave.
His refuge is not the mother hen.
His refuge is not the tender mercies never failing.
His refuge is the Word of Promise
the wings spread wide over the tablets of the covenant
the powerful guardians of the divine Word.

Because of this Word he holds back his hand when Saul is within his
grasp.
Because of this Word he does not take his destiny into his own hands.
Because of this Word he is sustained when hunted and haunted,
whether by enemies without or enemies within.

=93This is my body, given for you.=94

And there in those simple little words =93for you=94 we hear the beat of
those mighty wings.
And we take refuge.