Thursday, June 9

The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summertime (pp. 54-55)

"Let not those who hope in you be put to shame through me, Lord God of hosts" says David. It is this "through me" that opens up our morning office. David is overwhelmed by his troubles, troubles at the hands of those who oppose the work of God through him. And David is quite willing to confess anything amiss that he has done. But, David's concerns here are not just, or even primarily, with himself.

Instead, David is worried that those who trust in God, those who have their hope in Israel's future, those who have taken the David Road to its promised kingdom -- he is worried that those whom he has drawn into the work of God through him might be put to shame. So, he calls on God to "act" for the sake of God's good people.

God is a great God; we are to lift up our soul to God for he will lift us up. But, David's concern is that those who have depended upon him will see the work of God so that their faith will not fail.

Do we, in line with David, think often of our own troubles instead of how our own troubles may impact those who are under our care? Maybe we can learn from David to turn our trials into an opportunity to ask God to "show off" for the good of God's good people.