Rising with Our Lord This Easter Season at Work With the Help of This Psalm - 9

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.

Psalm 118 plunges us into "the law." Our minds and hearts reach out to God to seek to know His ways. From the law and our knowledge of God's way all of the good within us comes alive. Indeed, we come alive.

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.

PHE

129 Thy testimonies are wonderful: therefore my soul hath sought them. 130 The declaration of thy words giveth light: and giveth understanding to little ones. 131 I opened my mouth and panted: because I longed for thy commandments. 132 Look thou upon me, and have mercy on me, according to the judgment of them that love thy name. 133 Direct my steps according to thy word: and let no iniquity have dominion over me. 134 Redeem me from the calumnies of men: that I may keep thy commandments. 135 Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: and teach me thy justifications. 136 My eyes have sent forth springs of water: because they have not kept thy law.

When we begin a busy work day, we may have the tendency to leave God behind. Our task list, our boss, the ongoing project with a looming deadline, all conspire to suck up all our time and energy. Personally, even being aware of this, some days still begin this way.

Developing the habit of at least a quick acknowledgement of God's Presence and our desire to work first and foremost for His Greater Glory goes a long way to establishing a spiritual connection between our work and God. With this, our work will be elevated from the ordinary to the extraordinary, from the natural to the supernatural. 

And in the particulars of the day's work, our persistent study and meditation on God's Law assures us that even if we are subjected to unfair or even malicious criticism or, worse, untruths by others, some modicum of spiritual strength will keep us steady and pretty much unphased.

SADE

137 Thou art just, O Lord: and thy judgment is right. 138 Thou hast commanded justice thy testimonies: and thy truth exceedingly. 139 My zeal hath made me pine away: because my enemies forgot thy words. 140 Thy word is exceedingly refined: and thy servant hath loved it. 141 I am very young and despised; but I forgot not thy justifications. 142 Thy justice is justice for ever: and thy law is the truth. 143 Trouble and anguish have found me: thy commandments are my meditation. 144 Thy testimonies are justice for ever: give me understanding, and I shall live.

This issue of others either not fully appreciating our work or outright casting some degree of aspersions on it - worse, on us personally - comes to all of us at some point. Having lived through this from time to time, one lesson learned is contained in this wonderful and powerful Psalm. When facing such unpleasantness or even outright attack, the blow will be so much greater without a firm understanding that God will have our back in a way not creature can. And that understanding will only settle into our minds and hearts if we take the time to first, know and understand God's Law, then to live according to that Law. If God's Law permeates all our thoughts, words, and deeds, how can we fear whatever the world throws at us on any given day? 

Happy Easter!