Friday, December 18, 2020

An excerpt from 2 Samuel 6:12-19 (NRSV)
As the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michal daughter of Saul looked out of the window, and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart.

Reflection from Kathryn Duncan:
There are times when hopelessness and despair are so present in our lives that it feels like a physical weight in our bodies. In those times, seeing a happy person is a slap in the face – you want to shout, “don’t you know the world is horrifying, and I’m suffering?! How can you be so happy?!”

Having a husband dying of cancer means that despair is an old friend, but it has also empowered me with a new capacity for profound joy. When I’m overwhelmed by sadness, I have learned that anger and envy toward those who are happy doesn’t help. Instead, I try to remind myself that happiness, joy, beauty, and hope still exist in the world – even when I can’t feel them – and they’ll inevitably return.

For further study and prayer, the readings assigned for today are:
Psalm 89:1-4, 19-26; 2 Samuel 6:12-19; Hebrews 1:5-14

Music
“Even When He is Silent”
Text attributed to Holocaust victims;
music by Kim André Arnesen

I believe in the sun,
Even when it’s not shining.
I believe in love,
Even when I feel it not.
I believe in God,
Even when He is silent.

Link to listen to the music