Daily Lectio, Friday June 12

Today is the Feast of Emmegahbowh, the first Native American ordained in The Episcopal Church.

I love the Psalm appointed for his feast, Psalm 40:

I waited patiently upon the Lord;

he stooped to me and heard my cry.

He lifted me out of the desolate

pit, out of the mire and clay;

he set my feet upon a high cliff and

made my footing sure.

He put a new song in my mouth,

a song of praise to our God;

many shall see, and stand in awe,

and put their trust in the Lord.

Beautiful…this image of God coming to lift one up….

And after this deliverance, a new song is given.  I love this image…this language of singing praise.  This morning, my mind went immediately to Miriam, Moses’ sister.  After the Hebrews were delivered from Egypt, after they crossed through the Red Sea, the text says Miriam took up her tambourine and sang a song of praise to God:  “Horse and rider he has thrown into the sea.”

Maybe one could say that you could only sing a deep song of praise after experiencing a struggle, a trial….and after having experienced being rescued, delivered, redeemed, saved….after being made whole.

S+