Rising with Our Lord This Easter Season at Work With the Help of This Psalm - 5
We continue with our special meditation on Psalm 118 (Protestants have it as Psalm 119).Our hope is that we can refresh all we do for the greater glory of God.
As we work our way through each section of this astounding psalm, we'll see how its words can help us in our work, to further hone our daily activities that they serve God even as we serve those to whom we owe an honest day's work.
It's the perfect way to pray and work (ora et labora) our way through this glorious Easter Season.
TETH
65 Thou hast done well with thy servant, O Lord, according to thy word. 66 Teach me goodness and discipline and knowledge; for I have believed thy commandments. 67 Before I was humbled I offended; therefore have I kept thy word. 68 Thou art good; and in thy goodness teach me thy justifications. 69 The iniquity of the proud hath been multiplied over me: but I will seek thy commandments with my whole heart. 70 Their heart is curdled like milk: but I have meditated on thy law. 71 It is good for me that thou hast humbled me, that I may learn thy justifications. 72 The law of thy mouth is good to me, above thousands of gold and silver.
We must bring the goodness, discipline and knowledge of our Psalm to our work each day. It will be relatively easy if we learn God's commandments and actually practice all that He commands. Our words and behavior will reflect this. It will rub off on our co-workers in some fashion, even if we don't actually see our good example being noticed by them. Indeed, they may not consciously see us as following God's commandments. But somehow God uses us for His ends - if we follow His commandments.
As all of us are sinners, the Psalm notes our offenses. But immediately it thanks God for being humbled. If we have not faced humiliation in the spirit of this Psalm we will not gain any benefit from it. But if we have, then such humiliations will form a firm foundation for our spiritual progress. There's no growth in virtue without the foundation of humility.
Pride will only be controlled, even squashed, only by humility. The proud will always and everywhere have their way. When we encounter prideful behavior in the work place, it is - to say the least - unattractive. If it is directed at us, we may resent it. But rather than resentment, let's pray for such souls. And if we are one of those souls, we must earnestly pray for the grace to shunt aside pride with the virtue of humility
JOD
73 Thy hands have made me and formed me: give me understanding, and I will learn thy commandments. 74 They that fear thee shall see me, and shall be glad: because I have greatly hoped in thy words. 75 I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are equity: and in thy truth thou hast humbled me. 76 O! let thy mercy be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant. 77 Let thy tender mercies come unto me, and I shall live: for thy law is my meditation. 78 Let the proud be ashamed, because they have done unjustly towards me: but I will be employed in thy commandments. 79 Let them that fear thee turn to me and they that know thy testimonies. 80 Let my heart be undefiled in thy justifications, that I may not be confounded.
Just as we might sense when others follow God's commandments, so to they will sense that we do. When those ensnared with pride offend us, we simply go about following God's commandments rather than respond or even react to prideful words and behaviors. We pray that others know and live by God's commandments. We might make this our priority, rather than spend any time judging or evaluating others' competence or the value of their work - unless our position requires us to do so.
Yes, we live in a thoroughly secular world. But Psalm 118 - the longest of the Psalms - continuously drives home the importance of placing God's commandments first. We must take the time to know them, and do all we can, each day, to follow them.
Happy Easter!
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