“Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord
Lord, hear my voice!” (Psalm 130:1).
Some of us feel overwhelmed, lonely, uncertain and afraid. Most of us are more aware than usual of inequality; how, we wonder, will shack-dwellers cope? What about those whose families don’t eat if they don’t earn wages for the day? We are concerned for the well-being of doctors, nurses and health workers. We worry about the elderly and are anxious about vulnerable family members. The future is uncertain.
For most of us, the best we can do is stay at home. But that heightens our sense of powerlessness. On the other extreme those in health-care, the police, and the defence force face the possibility of an exhausting few weeks.
Yes, “out of the depths” we cry to the Lord!
There is Good News friends! The Lord hears those who cry from the depths. The Lord does not keep a record of our sins but offers us mercy (v3).
In Psalm 130 the Lord leads us to that place where hope is found:
I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,
and in his word I put my hope.
My soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen wait for the morning,
more than watchmen wait for the morning (Ps 130:5–6).
In the next 20 days the Lord will teach us, if we are willing to learn, to prayerfully wait in hope. We serve as “watchmen”, prayerfully waiting on God to bring healing and restoration. We intercede for the sick, for doctors, nurses, police, soldiers and government leaders. We hold in prayerful love those who live without the adequate housing, water and services we take for granted. We allow God to birth in us a vision for a new world and the courage to work towards it. As we prayerfully wait in hope we are reminded that, actually, with God, the future is certain. Because the Lord is steadfast in love, “with him is great power to redeem” (v7).
I encourage you to use this time to plan how you will “wait for the Lord” in hope. My family has planned a daily schedule, or “rule of life” that includes sharing Morning and Evening prayers together. (If your family is like mine, and especially if there are teenagers in the home, arriving at the agreed “rule of life” will involve robust debate ! I think it is worth it).
To help with scheduled prayer times I highly recommend the following “app”:
“Book of Common Prayer” (by School for Conversion, Inc.)
IOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/book-of-common-prayer/id1138857966
Android: https://tinyurl.com/u53rlx8
I am going to experiment sharing in prayer with you via “Zoom” (you can download Zoom here https://zoom.us). Email me if you’d like to join in (mcguigan@durbmeth.org.za).
Here are some other ways we are “waiting in hope”:
1. We are making pastoral phone calls, starting with the elderly (our Society Stewards and some of those who trained in the Faithful Witness course have a long list to work through). Feel free to let us know of your needs.
2. We will be broadcasting Sunday Worship as best we can via “Facebook” and “Youtube”. This Sunday is my weekend off and Vuyelwa is scheduled to preach. Vuyelwa is not able to go “online” so I will share in worship with you – reading for you the wonderful words of hope Vuyelwa has given to us.
3. Before “Lockdown” we distributed printed versions of Prayer Liturgies and Sermons (for Lent 5, Palm Sunday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday) to those who don’t have online access. These will also be available on our website (https://durbanvillemethodist.co.za/category/spiritual-growth-resources/).
Feel free to print these out and share with whoever may find it helpful (without transgressing restrictions of course).
4. The Blood Bank is an essential service and will continue to use DMC facilities to collect blood on the following dates during “Lockdown” 1 April, 2 April, 8 April, 15 April. I will be required to open up for them and will use the Church wifi whilst I am there to upload material to the website.
5. My landline is 021 975 4768. No prizes for guessing where I will be if you need to speak with me . Unless our rule of life has us otherwise engaged in prayer, eating, exercise or sleep, the phone will be answered.
God Bless,
Sean