Sabbath Psalms - Footstool

Psalm 99:5      Exalt the LORD our God and worship at His footstool; He is holy.

I think that my brother Alan is the most caring sibling in our family. He doted on my mother and took special care of her when she was ailing. He took time to wash her hair and make her comfortable. Alan and his partner, who is also called Alan, took her out for car trips that she enjoyed. He visited her in hospital constantly when she was admitted to long-term wards. He was gentle and loving with her, never seemingly getting frustrated or angry at her, even when she was at her most difficult.

Alan even washed her feet and gently massaged them. She suffered terribly from rheumatics, and sometimes just touching her feet could have her crying in agony. My brother patiently and tenderly took care of her, even making sure that she had a cushioned footstool to rest her weary and painful feet.

A footstool is a humble piece of furniture that provides rest for a weary person. It’s mentioned in Psalm 99, so does this mean that God sometimes grows tired and needs to rest His weary feet? No, of course not. In this case, the footstool is used as a majestic symbol of the promises God makes to His people. They rest assured, knowing God will keep those promises and abide by them, even when the people roast His heart and try His patience. This is why they worship at His footstool, which means that they humbly and reverently praise God for keeping His promises.

Today, we can do the same. In our busy lives, we sometimes get spiritually weary, causing our faith to weaken and become ineffective. During those moments, we are invited to come and worship at the Lord’s footstool in order to rely on God for strength, to look to Him for renewal, by holding on to His promises. If we make time to do this, God will make time to help us.

Point to ponder: What can I bring to God’s footstool today, to be relieved of my burden and refreshed in my soul?

Prayer: Almighty God, today we worship at Your footstool, placing all our hopes and dreams, aims and goals, as well as our times and lives into Your care. We pray that You will be patient and tender with us, so that You can help and heal us. We make these prayers, resting on Your promises and in the Holy Name of Jesus. Amen.

John Stuart is a Scottish Presbyterian pastor living in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Sabbath Psalms - Belonging to God

Psalm 24:1 The Earth belongs to the LORD, including everything in it, the whole planet, and every living being.

I’d like to make a banner of this verse and super-impose it on a photograph of a hungry child in Appalachia. It would remind me that the least in our community, like those who sleep under the overpasses on the interstate, are still counted as belonging to God. I want to be challenged that the things I take for granted – my health, my home, my work, my money, and my resources – are all gifts from God. It’s very easy, in fact, too easy for me, to forget about such things, which causes me to neglect to remind myself that everyone is a child of God’s grace.

The psalmist tells us clearly that everything belongs to God – the world, the nations, and all of the people. Not one of us is a self-made person or an independent being. We might think that our actions, our deeds, our accomplishments, as well as our achievements come naturally because of our abilities; but we delude ourselves if we do not assign all of those qualities and successes to the grace of God. The source of all our blessings is the real owner of our planet. Without God, we would not exist. Without God’s power to create, we would not have life. 

Without God’s constant grace, we could not maintain ourselves. As Jesus so masterly puts it, “Which one of us can add a day to our lives?” We cannot. It all boils down to the fact that we are created, sustained, and completely owned by God. And when we understand this, we begin to care for other people, joining God in the work of being mindful of the Earth and all its inhabitants.

This is why I regularly support the work of the World Central Kitchen. Wherever natural disasters, human conflict, or famine takes place, chefs from the WCK organize food for people who are displaced, persecuted, and hungry. They encourage local restaurants and food truck owners to help them prepare and distribute meals. It’s a fantastic international mission of compassion which recognizes the urgent needs and upholds the dignity of different people across the Earth. To me, they epitomize the belief that everyone is a child of God’s grace and deserves the right to food, as well as shelter and clothing.

Point to ponder: If the whole Earth belongs to God, including everyone in it, what am I doing to help God’s work of sustaining this planet?

Prayer: Lord God, You challenge us every day to be faithful, but sometimes we thoughtlessly forget to also care. In the place of helping others, we often just help ourselves. Forgive us for being neglectful; grant us the strength to see and to support those who are hungry and needy across Your world. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.