We often meditate on God’s warm and loving attributes: his gentleness, mercy, and tenderness. And God certainly is all of these things.

Jesus’s words beckon us to join God’s mission in its rawest form: to help those in need. In the West, we are often uncomfortable with suffering, so we either deny it or seek to blame the victim.

Reading this psalm brings back memories of my childhood in a Lutheran church.

God himself will shepherd the traumatized flock. God will seek the lost and bring them home, feed them with rich pasture, and make them lie down in safety.

The Israelites were nearing the end of their exile when this passage was written. How they must have delighted to hear Zephaniah’s words of hope.

It’s shame that binds us, isn’t it? Many of us are paralyzed by shame at the moment because despite our advances in technology and medicine, a tiny virus has waged an invisible war against us that we cannot easily win.

Years ago I used to compete in triathlons. I did one race every year where there were almost no fans or supporters on the swim or bike portions.

This parable is often viewed only through the lens of the servant who did nothing out of fear and complacency and the rejection he receives.

Today’s psalm is designed to awaken our sensibilities to the majesty and grandeur of God.

In his book Stories with Intent, Klyne Snodgrass writes these words about the end times: …