“Why me?”
By Rev. Michael Stonhouse
Meditation – Tuesday, February 13, 2024 Psalm 26 (Forward, p. 15) CEV p. 569
This psalm has long been one that gave me trouble. My difficulty starts right with its title in my present version of the Bible, the Contemporary English Version. Its title reads ‘The Prayer of an Innocent Person’. Well, I for one, could never say that about any human who has ever lived, other than Jesus, of course. So, how could David, its author, say this with a straight face?
That is what I thought initially. But then another thought came to me, one that probably all of us have entertained at some time or other. It is the prayer, “God, why me? I have tried my level best. I have tried to obey you as best I could, and still you let this happen to me.”
That would seem to be David’s sentiment: “I have walked in my integrity” (I stay true to myself) (vs. 1, 11). “I have trusted you without doubting” (verse 1b). “I never forget your kindness and I am always faithful to you” (v. 3). “I don’t spend time with worthless liars or go with evil crowds” (verses 4-5). “I wash my hands, Lord, to show my innocence, and I worship at your altar, while gratefully singing about your wonders. I love the temple where you live, and where your glory shines (vs. 6-8).
So, it is not just his intentions, the desires of his heart, but also his actions that reflect his integrity and innocence. Furthermore, he invites God to check this out to see whether this is true:
“Test my thoughts and find out what I am like” (verse 2).
Even with all this, he is still ‘afraid of his prospects’. He implores God not to give him over to misfortune and disaster:
“Don’t sweep me away as you do sinners. Don’t punish me with death as you do those people who are brutal or full of meanness or who bribe others” (verses 9-10).
So, it isn’t quite the ‘why me’ of always experiencing what he’d consider to be ill disserved calamity, but he certainly sees that prospect, dreads it, and asks to be delivered from it. And so, borrowing a page from ‘his book’, we can always go to God in prayer for help and deliverance from trouble—whether we feel as if we ‘deserve’ it or not, knowing that God will always be there for us, no matter what.
Forward notes: “Lord, I love the house in which you dwell and the place where your glory abides” (verse 8).
Commemoration: Absalom Jones
“Today, we celebrate the feast of Absalom Jones, a man of great faith, courage, and determination. As the first African American ordained a priest in the Episcopal Church, he face immense challenges yet remained steadfast in his commitment to God and his community.
“Jones’s spiritual journey was marked by a strong belief in the power of God’s love. He recognized that all human beings are created in God’s image and deserve equal treatment and respect. This belief let him to advocate for the abolition of slavery and the equal treatment of all people, regardless of their race.
“Jones understood that faith was also about building a community that reflected the love and compassion of Christ. He founded the African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas in Philadelphia, which became a centre for African American worship, education, and advocacy. May we today follow his example, being willing to stand up for what is right and recognizing the importance of building relationships that reflect the love and compassion of Christ.”
Moving Forward: “How will you honour Absalom Jones today?”