A schoolyard bully beat up young Eugene after class every day and called him a name meant to shame his faith, until the boy snapped, and what he did next still sounds like a joke and a rebuke at once. That story opens a reflection on Psalm 129, a pilgrim song about people whose backs were ploughed like a field, and who still were not overcome. The sermon speaks plainly about suffering that must never be romanticised, about anger that has to be laid somewhere, and about two words that hold the whole gospel: but God. Listen if you carry a wound that still refuses to heal.
A Journey with the God Who Frees from Oppression
On the Journey
Travel and conversation complement each other perfectly. It’s best to travel in good company, because then every journey becomes an opportunity to exchange thoughts, but also to enjoy shared silence. Summer, a time of vacations and trips, is a good time to remind ourselves that God is the most important companion on our journey-including the greatest one of all, called life. And since we’re already journeying with Him, it’s worth enjoying conversation-in addition to those moments when we’re silent and simply enjoy each other’s presence.
That is why this summer we will read a series of psalms known as the “pilgrim” or “traveling” psalms, because they were recited during the journey to Jerusalem. It is a journey through the twists and turns of life-from sorrow and loneliness to community and worship. Yet the most important thing about it is that we can walk and talk with God Himself.
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