From A Certain Perspective

Dear Faith Family,   

"Come, bless the LORD all you servants of God…You priests of God...bless the LORD…May the LORD...bless you…"
(Psalm 134)

Bless, bless, and be blessed. That is the simple summary of our final Psalm of Ascent. One final time, gathered with those who are similarly on a pilgrimage of faith alongside us, nearly at the pinnacle of our personal road, the collective cry is raised: "Look back and bless! Look back and see your future!" 

"Look back," all you who willfully started down this pilgrim path towards Life, that chosen turning from one way and committed giving ourselves to a way ancient and forever, which our first psalm remembers. "Look back," and, as we reflected on Sunday, see that you are here despite yourself and the difficulties of daily travel. Look back and give voice (bless!) to God's providence, his help, his keeping you, persevering you. You are here, on this day, at this moment, entering into the place of God's presence...By His grace... so "bless the LORD"! Bless the Lord that the pilgrim journey--both over a lifetime and across a week--is made precisely because, as we allow ourselves to rest in reflection on every Sunday, Christ is with us and for us. Bless the LORD! 

The song of our arrival is first an invitation to look back at what God has done, to see where God has been with us and for us in the days behind, and bless, glorify, give voice to His goodness for the sheer fact that we are here in this moment in His presence. But the psalm does not give us a singular blessing, but a second command to "bless the LORD." 

"Look back, all you who willfully started down this pilgrim path towards life, and found that you are not merely a recipient of grace, but a participant in it. Through your worship and work, your pursuit of the good in humility and obedience, you have become for your fellow travelers and others along the way a "priest of God," as we discussed last week. "Look back," and see how God has used you, how you have participated in the grace of God in the travels of others, and bless the LORD! Give voice (bless!) to God's grace through you. You are here, and this is what you are made to do! 

"Look back and bless!" That is the first two-thirds of the song at the end, but it is not the last. The final refrain says, "Look back and see your future," look back and in so doing, see that indeed the blessing of God has been upon you and see that the blessing (favor) of the LORD will be with you as you return to the days ahead. To look back is to see what lies ahead, the grace of God upon and through us. 

"May the LORD of Zion bless you, the maker of heaven and earth!" (Psalm 134:3)

Love you, faith family. God bless.