How can I connect scripture to my life today? This might be one of the most common discipleship questions we ask. While we might believe that God speaks to us today through the words of ancient Hebrews, this doesn’t mean that finding methods to make those words resonant and relevant today is easy. There are many ways we can steep ourselves in the word and one exercise is to take scripture passages and insert words or ideas that connect with us, right here, right now. This exercise is one in which our youth participated recently with the Beatitudes in Matthew 5 and Psalm 23. We discovered that though circumstances are different than those thousands of years ago, the feelings are very much the same. I have included several examples our youth wrote and I hope they speak to you in the meaningful ways they spoke to us.
Matthew 5
Blessed are those who are criminals and murderers,
for they shall be blessed by God in forgiveness.
Blessed are those who suffer from depression,
for they shall be comforted in the arms of God.
Blessed are those who cause trouble for others because they want to feel good,
for they shall find forgiveness by God and be showered with holiness instead of hatred.
Matthew 5
Blessed are those who remain selfless,
for they shall hold the kindest of hearts.
Blessed are those who no longer see a reason to live,
for they shall live the worthiest of lives.
Blessed are those who become the victims of society,
for they shall experience love greater than hate.
Psalm 23
The Lord is my father I shall not want.
He brings me peace.
He leads me beside the crowd.
He restores my soul.
He leads me in the right paths
For he is the Lord.
Even though I am surrounded by darkness, evil and sin, I have no fear, for you are with me;
your strength and your will, they protect me.
You lay out my fate before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you bless my soul;
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long.
Psalm 23
When the Lord leads us, we will not want anything else.
She lets us rest in good places.
She does not let us go thirsty.
She restores my soul.
The Lord shows us the right path,
even when things aren’t going the way we want.
We don’t give up hope.
The Lord is always with us.
The Lord doesn’t let us go hungry.
We belong to God.
Peace,
~Pastor Beth