Sabbath Prayers in Kyiv

 Sabbath, February 26, 2022

“Outmanned Ukrainian forces are holding on to their capital after hours of street fighting that included explosions and bursts of gunfire. Smoke was billowing from the sites of some clashes, but as the Kremlin assault entered its third day, Kyiv was still in Ukrainian government hands.” The Washington Post

 As the battle unfolds outside, imagine the people gathering inside. Surprised. Thankful. Accompanied by the sounds of explosions and bullets, the worship leader rises and reads:

Psalm 31

²¹ Praise be to the Lord,
    for he showed me the wonders of his love
    when I was in a city under siege.
²² In my alarm I said,
    “I am cut off from your sight!”
Yet you heard my cry for mercy
    when I called to you for help.

²³ Love the Lord, all his faithful people!
    The Lord preserves those who are true to him,
    but the proud he pays back in full.
²⁴ Be strong and take heart,
    all you who hope in the Lord.

And they pray. Really. Hard. Prayers. All God’s faithful people, let us pray…

God is Smiling

 Numbers 6:26 “The LORD said to Moses… ‘This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them:

“the LORD turn his face toward you

     and give you peace.”’

 Think of a quarrel, perhaps even a fight, you had with someone you love. Someone who loves you too.

 One way to express anger is to turn away your face from each other. “I can’t even stand to look at you when you are like this!”

 Then one of you decides that the love you have for the other one is stronger than your anger. That person turns their face back toward you. What is the expression on their face when they turn their face back toward you? The beginning of a smile, perhaps moistened with tears? A look that says, “I forgive you. We are made to be together.”

 “Peace” happens when God turns back toward us, not with anger, but with love, having intentionally forgotten that which we did to cause God to turn away from us.

 How can you know the peace, the shalom, with which God desires to bless you? Turn back to God and see God’s face turned toward you. God is smiling.

 

Like a Shower of Sun

 Numbers 6:25 “The LORD said to Moses…’This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them:

the LORD make his face shine on you
    and be gracious to you…”

 It is a spectacular morning. Bright sun making paths of light across last night’s bed of snow.

 Even the feral cat took up her place on the east-facing front stoop to take a shower of sun.

 What better way to start the day, face lifted up, eyes closed in meditation, the sun’s face warming your face, allowing you to forget for a moment or three that it is 3 degrees.

 God’s face is like the sun. it is always there, watching, following, smiling, weeping with us.

 But then some days, some moments, the clouds are gone. God’s face shines. On you.  As if you found the perfect place to rest in a shower of bright, warming light.

 Like on that first day when the look from God’s face shines in affirmation to the earth that winter is gone and spring’s promise blossoms.

 Wherever your journey takes you this day, this week, may you know the grace of the LORD’s face shining upon you. Like a shower of sun.