tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6838698329757338280.post5383627741563692966..comments2017-12-01T10:52:19.431-08:00Comments on Sunday Bible Study by ParishWorld.net: "Blessed are you among women"Editor @ Parishworld.nethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11351018547370080019noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6838698329757338280.post-16910332753481616032012-12-20T13:01:08.708-08:002012-12-20T13:01:08.708-08:00Reflections
Psalm 80: 2-3, 15-16, 18-19
This Psa...Reflections<br />Psalm 80: 2-3, 15-16, 18-19<br /><br />This Psalm is a prayer to restore <br />Israel, and by extension to restore us,<br />as a scattered people of God. <br />The Psalm is well adapted to our <br />prayer during Advent. We are a people <br />scattered and separated from God, and <br />we await His coming; He alone can <br />'make us turn to Him' and convert us.<br /> “Shepherd of Israel, lend an ear … <br />come to save us.”<br /><br />Our psalmist makes a direct appeal <br />to God to shepherd us. “Turn again <br />Lord ... attend to this vine.” Just as <br />the Lord tends to His vineyard, He <br />protects a shoot planted by His right <br />hand. The coming of Christ is intended <br />to revive us, restore our strength. <br />As the Psalm says, “Then we will not <br />withdraw from you; revive us, and <br />we will call on your name.”<br /><br />Where does our hope for revival <br />come from? It comes from our savior, <br />sent by the Lord, our cornerstone.<br />In Him we are restored. “Lord of <br />hosts restore us; let your face shine <br />upon us, that we may be saved.”<br /><br />We all need to be renewed from <br />time to time when our faith grows <br />lukewarm, when our hearts harden <br />due to the sins that separate us from <br />God. We, like the Israelites, need <br />to beg for God’s mercy, to petition <br />the Lord and seek his peace, the peace <br />that will guard our hearts and minds,<br />and restore us as his people.<br /><br />Amen<br />Barry Lamontnoreply@blogger.com