Psalm 56: 8-9
Whenever I call upon you, then shall my enemies be put to flight;
this I know, for God is on my side.
You record my lamentation; put my tears into your bottle.
Are not these things noted in your book?
I am a worrier. I hold on to the things that I fear and imagine more worst-case-scenarios than I care to admit. As a now-parent of nearly-grown children, this worry has grown larger, and my feeling of helplessness along with it.
I know in my heart that I should trust God and worry less. But the uncertainty of the world pushes me quickly into the throes of worry. Somehow, “throwing” those concerns to the amorphous wind out to God seems reckless; like I am shirking responsibility.
But the Psalm for today offers an alternative image. God puts “my tears in a bottle.” The worries, the tears, the real concerns of my life and the world, are not thrown aimlessly to the spiritual unknown. Instead, God is holding them for me, treasured and held in a bottle, taking care so I don’t have to worry. “Letting go” is scary. Handing off tears to be held and tended to on a treasured shelf gives my mind rest.
During this time of Lent, let us remember that God is there to hold our worries. They are not forgotten, instead they are treasured and tended to, so that we can turn our attention more completely to God’s love.
Lenten Calendar Suggestion
Thank someone who volunteers in the church.