Steadfast Love
Daily Advent Devotional
English - December 05, 2022 11:10 - 2 minutes - 45.7 MB - ★★★★★ - 1 ratingReligion & Spirituality advent christmas phillips seminary doc disciples of christ united church of christ united methodist church unitarian devotional Homepage Download Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Week Two
December 5, 2022
Steadfast Love
Psalm 21
In your strength the king rejoices, O Lord, and in your help how greatly he exults! […]
His glory is great through your help; splendor and majesty you bestow on him.
“You bestow on him blessings forever; you make him glad with the joy of your presence.
For the king trusts in the Lord, and through the steadfast love of the Most High he shall not be moved.” Psalm 21:1, 5-7
Psalm 21 constitutes an expression of gratitude for victory, likely used in liturgy for the coronations of kings. The psalm acknowledges that royal success has come through the goodness of God, whose steadfast love has prompted the king to trust in God and receive God’s strength. Some of us might see how such a festive psalm could feel natural in times of great accomplishment or unexpected flourishing, but how might these words be relevant in times of failure, discouragement, or disempowerment?
Many of us have felt called to walk with those who are in pain, and to bring about positive change for all whom the powerful have sought to marginalize. When finding ourselves up against centuries-old systems of oppression and violence, however, it is easy to feel overwhelmed, helpless, and even hopeless.
What can I do that will truly make a difference in the face of so much evil? we may ask ourselves. How can I possibly make the world a better place when so much in my own life is falling apart?
Thankfully, we are not in this alone. God sees us, remembers us, and has not abandoned us. In a few weeks, at Christmas, we will celebrate the arrival—in person—of the steadfast love of the Most High. Even as we name our grief and sit with our disappointment, both individual and collective, may we find comfort and empowerment in the presence of the One who is with us, strengthening us, and partnering with us to establish peace and justice in this world.
Dr. Briana Wong
Assistant Professor of the History of World Christianities
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