Daily Lent Devotions from Church Street UMC
Sunday, February 26, 2023 — Evening
By David Lineberger
Who has Moved?
Read: Psalm 27:8-9
“You have said, ‘Seek My face.’ My heart says to You, ‘Your face, LORD, do I seek.’
Hide not Your face from me. Turn not Your servant away in anger, O You who
have been my help. Cast me not off; forsake me not, O God of my salvation!”
There is a decades old joke where a couple is riding in their car together, and the wife says to her husband who is driving, “Sweetheart, do you remember how romantic we used to be when we first got married? We snuggled so close together in the car every time we drove anywhere.” The husband replied, “Yes dear, I remember, but I’m not the one who moved.”
During the season of Lent we focus on Christ’s suffering and death, and the reason His sacrifice was so needed. What better way to do that than an examination of our own relationship with God. Do you ever feel that God has abandoned you? Do you feel that you and our Creator are no longer close?
Sometimes we leave our prayer time until the last minute, lying in bed as we voice our concerns and thanks to God before sleep overtakes us. Sometimes we stop praying and feel like we’re just talking to ourselves. We begin doubting that God is listening to us at all!
The Psalmist speaks about our relationship with God in Psalm 27: 8-9, where he writes “You have said, “Seek My face.” My heart says to You, “Your face, LORD, do I seek.” Hide not Your face from me. Turn not Your servant away in anger, O You who have been my help. Cast me not off; forsake me not, O God of my salvation!
In reality, God has not abandoned us. He is right where He always is, loving us and desiring a close relationship with us. So often it is us who have pulled away, even trying to hide our sins from God.
For our salvation, God did turn away from Jesus as He was dying on the cross. Jesus suffered this abandonment so that we would never have to be forsaken by God. We can turn to the empty tomb and know that we have the assurance that God is always there for us! We pray for his strength and purpose to guide us on our journey. The last verse is a good prayer for Lent, or any time we want to open our hearts to God.
Prayer
Forgive me, ever present and loving Lord, for the times I have pulled away from you. Help me to seek a close and dependent life with You and know that you will always be there with your unfailing love. Amen.
