Second Sunday in Lent
This beautiful psalm from today’s reading is a prayer of comfort. Here, the psalmist conveys his deep spiritual longing for God’s presence. It is a prayer of someone separated from God’s dwelling place. Depending on which scholar’s dating of this psalm you agree with, the psalmist could either be referring to the Jerusalem Temple or the Tabernacle that preceded it.
The Psalmist says he would rather be a “doorkeeper”, or a servant, in the house of God than live in “tents of wickedness” — or in other words, the homes of evildoers — because one day with God is better than a thousand elsewhere.
In today’s context, this psalm could be a prayer of a person who is separated from the sanctuary, or the prayer of a person who longs to experience God’s Word and Christ’s Body and Blood in community because the Lord has promised to be there. It is important for the Body of Christ, His people, to join together and offer thanks and praise.
It was not that long ago that many of our churches had to close their doors to in-person worship due to COVID restrictions, and some churches were closed longer than others. During that time, many yearned to “taste and see that the Lord is Good,” and had to find alternative ways to worship together — some outdoors in parks, and others in cars in parking lots. Even now, some are shut-in or in hospitals due to health reasons, and unable to worship and commune together — and so they currently yearn.
It is normal to long for hymns, prayers, fellowship, preaching of the Word, and Holy Communion. It is normal to want to join together. Thankfully, we can trust that “no good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly” (Psalm 84:11).
Jesus Christ offered the perfect worship by sacrificing His own sinless life for us on the cross, freeing us from sin, death, and the devil and granting us eternal life where we will worship together and glorify God our Father for all eternity. Thanks be to God!
Prayer: Gracious Lord, we give You thanks for the ability to worship Your holy name. We give You the glory and honor that is due to You, for You are our King and our God and we will ever sing Your praise, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.
Devotion written by The Rev. Teresa E. Peters
Morning Psalms
Evening Psalms
This daily prayer and Bible reading guide, Devoted to Prayer (based on Acts 2:42), was conceived and prepared by the Rev. Andrew S. Ames Fuller, director of communications for the North American Lutheran Church (NALC). After several challenging years in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been provided with a unique opportunity to revitalize the ancient practice of daily prayer and Scripture reading in our homes. While the Reading the Word of God three-year lectionary provided a much-needed and refreshing calendar for our congregations to engage in Scripture reading, this calendar includes a missing component of daily devotion: prayer. This guide is to provide the average layperson and pastor with the simple tools for sorting through the busyness of their lives and reclaiming an act of daily discipleship with their Lord. The daily readings follow the Lutheran Book of Worship two-year daily lectionary, which reflect the church calendar closely. The commemorations are adapted from Philip H. Pfatteicher’s New Book of Festivals and Commemorations, a proposed common calendar of the saints that builds from the Lutheran Book of Worship, but includes saints from many of those churches in ecumenical conversation with the NALC. The introductory portion is adapted from Christ Church (Plano)’s Pray Daily. Our hope is that this calendar and guide will provide new life for congregations learning and re-learning to pray in the midst of a difficult and changing world.