Your Turn for 2/18-19/2023 - Psalm 27:7-14
Welcome to the weekend, Seeds of Faith community!
Because this is a reflection on scripture using the SOAP method (Scripture-Observation-Application-Prayer), part of the purpose is sharing an example of what you might practice in your own scripture reading. So, the weekend invitation is to practice your own SOAP reflection.
Each weekend, I share a passage of scripture to work from. If you’re up for sharing in the comments, I’d love to see what you come up with. This week the prompt is Psalm 27:7-14, which you’ll find below. If you share, please copy and paste the sentence or phrase you are reflecting on.
Brief guidelines for a good practice:
The Basic Method. Pick one sentence or phrase in the scripture passage that stands out to you. Write down one thing you observe going on in that sentence or phrase. Reflect on how that observation gives insight that might apply to your faith and life. Write a short prayer about that.
Observe Well. Think about what the sentences and phrases are saying and not saying. Take care also not to extrapolate more than is there.
Stay Balanced. Focus on the particular scripture while keeping the whole witness of scripture (as well as you know it) in mind. Isolating a verse or passage from the whole can lead us to heresies, but reading each verse or passage deeply and well makes for a robust understanding of the whole. This is one purpose of the early creeds (Apostles’ and Nicene)—they summarize the major points of Christian scripture and doctrine so as to help us read individual biblical passages faithfully.
Psalm 27:7-14
7 Hear my voice when I call, Lord;
be merciful to me and answer me.
8 My heart says of you, “Seek his face!”
Your face, Lord, I will seek.
9 Do not hide your face from me,
do not turn your servant away in anger;
you have been my helper.
Do not reject me or forsake me,
God my Savior.
10 Though my father and mother forsake me,
the Lord will receive me.
11 Teach me your way, Lord;
lead me in a straight path
because of my oppressors.
12 Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes,
for false witnesses rise up against me,
spouting malicious accusations.
13 I remain confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living.
14 Wait for the Lord;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the Lord.
“But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” (Matthew 13:23)
If you liked this post from Seeds of Faith, why not share it and/or subscribe?
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™
Scripture: (11) Teach me your way, Lord;
Observation: Teach me your way requires me to make a decision as to which way I want to go in my life..... God's way..... or my way....which usually leads me away from what God is wanting me to see or do. Either way, a decision is required of me.
Application: In order for me to make that required decision....I have to surrender my will unto God's will.....something man has trouble with.... including me. God wants to teach us His ways. For Him to be able to do that we have to have a relationship with Him. In that relationship we become teachable....by growing in that relationship....gaining trust in that relationship....and as a result.... our faith in Him grows as well.
Prayer: Gracious Heavenly Father teach me to surrender my will unto yours. Teach me your ways for my life and grant me the courage to follow. In Christ's name I pray, Amen.
(S)crioture:
Wait for the Lord;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the Lord.
(O)bservation: My observation of this very important verse, Psalm 27:14 - We, as Christians need to be patient! We should have faith when we are in great need and go to our Lord for help! He hears us but He sees the big picture and this may be a “teaching” moment. He might want us to dwell on our request in His presence, deepen our faith and trust in Him as we ask for help. We seek the comfort of the Lord during hard times and often by seeking His presence in our lives and trusting in Him, our problems seem to grow less important and we find a way to solve. After all, He created us and gave us a brain, reason and many human tools....we only need faith!
(A)pplication: We should apply patience when we make requests of the Lord. Have faith that He loves and cares for us. Be faithful to Him and He will be faithful to us.
(P)rayer: Heavenly Father, I am thankful for your abounding love and faithfulness. I know you are always there when I am in need and I am grateful. Show me the way Lord, I will patiently wait for you. Amen