Be Merciful to Me, O Lord of Hosts--Jan. 25, 2021

Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me.

I swear by your name, and lean on you,

but then I seek human approval,

trying to please people.

 

How can I be your servant, 

if I am afraid people will laugh; 

if I wait for the storms to pass,

before I do your will?

 

Lectionary Readings

Ps. 57; 145; 85; 47

Isa. 48:1-11

Gal. 1:1-17

Mark 5:21-43

 

Selected Verses 

Ps. 57:1

Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me,
          for in you my soul takes refuge;
in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge,
          until the destroying storms pass by.

 

Isa. 48:1b-2

…who swear by the name of the LORD,
          and invoke the God of Israel,
          but not in truth or right.
For they call themselves after the holy city,
          and lean on the God of Israel;
          the LORD of hosts is his name.

 

Gal. 1:10

Am I now seeking human approval, or God’s approval?  Or am I trying to please people?  If I were still pleasing people, I would not be a servant of Christ.

 

Mark 5:40

And [the mourners for the dead child] laughed at [Jesus].