Scripture Focus: Psalm 34.18
18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted
     and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

Originally published on October 11, 2023, based on readings from Psalm 34.18.

Readers’ Choice is here: There’s still time to tell us about your favorite, most meaningful posts of the year. If you shared it with someone, or it helped you, let us know via email, direct message, or filling out the linked form.

Music Week: Many choices from readers were ones having to do with music. Some were inspired by a song or hymn, some simply included music as part of the reflection experience. This week, we pray the Holy Spirit’s tune echoes in your heart and that he guides you into Truth as you listen again to these earthly tunes.

Readers’ Choice posts are selected by our readers:
Russell, Japan — Thanks for sharing this.
MJ, AZ — I am currently in the years of limping along in the journey of anticipated grief…I needed your words today and will keep this post to reference as I move forward on this path. Thank you for sharing this encouragement today.

Reflection: Be With Me — Readers’ Choice
By Erin Newton

In the kingdom of the heavens, no suffering is unknown;
 each tear that falls is holy, each breaking heart a throne.
 There is a song of beauty on every weeping eye —
 for there is One who loves me: His heart, it breaks with mine

These words, which bring me to tears every time, are from the song “Little Things with Great Love” by Porter’s Gate.

At the end of this summer, just a few weeks ago, my mother died. For six years, I limped along this journey of anticipated grief, knowing that her cancer was incurable. I became accustomed to sadness. It was simply a part of my life.

Many of us carry the weight of grief, pain, suffering, trauma—all sorts of sadness—with us every day. Instead of a passing feeling, it becomes a state of being. Grief is an unwelcome guest that lingers too long and too close.

Psalm 34 speaks of deliverance from fear and salvation from troubles. It was the plea of my anguished heart. I like to avoid sadness. Bottling up emotions, avoiding all sad movies, and never lingering too long on tragic events—this was my way of living.

Now I have learned that we get to grieve deeply because we have loved deeply. The weight of our sadness reflects the hope of a beautiful life that has been tragically altered.

What is never mentioned in the psalm is the absence of trouble. It is not praising God for a carefree life. As much as I want to escape heartache, suffering is part of living.

But we are not alone. God is near to the brokenhearted, the completely broken and crushed soul.

In the last days of my mom’s life, I would step out of the car and take a deep breath. I had to go in there and sit by her bed, counting breaths as they labored and slowed. I knew I had to go inside. There was no choice. “Dear Lord, can you go in there with me?” And he did.

I have known the depths of pain, but I have felt the strength of God’s presence. My mom could hear songs “like a choir” and felt an unseen hand rest upon her shoulder. God is near to us.

If there is any way I could talk to my mom now, I’d let her know I’m doing okay. Because I’ll never be alone.

Music: “Little Things with Great Love,” by Porter’s Gate

From John: The Divine Hours prayers will return in October. This month we will pray one scripture passage or verse each week.

Prayer:
Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.
For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods.
 — Psalm 95.1-3

​Today’s Readings
Jeremiah 37 (Listen 3:25)
1 Corinthians 13 (Listen 2:23)

Read more about In the Face of Grief
None of Christ’s followers had to leave their sorrow behind for Jesus to come to them.

Read more about The Grace of Holding Space
What is most needed in these times is a willingness to simply “hold space” for another.

Scripture Focus: Psalm 148
1 Praise the Lord.
   Praise the Lord from the heavens;
   praise him in the heights above.
2 Praise him, all his angels;
   praise him, all his heavenly hosts.
3 Praise him, sun and moon;
   praise him, all you shining stars.
4 Praise him, you highest heavens
   and you waters above the skies.
5 Let them praise the name of the Lord,
   for at his command they were created,
6 and he established them for ever and ever—
   he issued a decree that will never pass away.
7 Praise the Lord from the earth,
   you great sea creatures and all ocean depths,
8 lightning and hail, snow and clouds,
   stormy winds that do his bidding,
9 you mountains and all hills,
   fruit trees and all cedars,
10 wild animals and all cattle,
     small creatures and flying birds,
11 kings of the earth and all nations,
     you princes and all rulers on earth,
12 young men and women,
     old men and children.
13 Let them praise the name of the Lord,
     for his name alone is exalted;
     his splendor is above the earth and the heavens.
14 And he has raised up for his people a horn,
     the praise of all his faithful servants,
     of Israel, the people close to his heart.
     Praise the Lord.

Student Writers Month is here: The student writers featured from July 15 to August 9 have received free coaching, ministry training, and seminars by special guests in addition to this publishing opportunity, the ability to re-publish their work elsewhere, and a stipend/scholarship for their work. A portion of all donations during these dates will be applied to the students’ stipends/scholarships. Find out more about the students at this link or give a one-time or recurring gift at this link.
Reflection: Let Us Meet In Praise
By Annette Kendall

Every creature, great and small, is to praise God. 

Ancient peoples revered the celestial bodies to the point that these became objects of worship. The psalmist issues a challenge to these luminaries— instead of receiving praise, they must give praise to God.

In the heavens, all the angels (that is, the servants) and all the heavenly hosts (that is, the armies) must praise God. Their counterparts on the earth, kings, rulers, princes, and people old and young, male and female, are urged to praise God. 

The four elements, earth, wind, fire, and water are involved in the call to praise. Day after day, the flowers open up, and the birds sing their songs. Season after season, the trees yield their fruit, and the beasts bear their young. Not even the creatures of the oceans get left out. Deep beneath the surface, whales and dolphins raise their voices, while day and night corals open and close. All follow their cycle in honor of their maker.  

It is not enough for the heavenly beings alone to praise God. Nor is it enough that only humanity praise God. It is not even enough that the animal kingdom be included in praising God. Every part of creation, animate and inanimate alike, is commanded to praise God. Whether those of high standing or of low esteem, every creature must praise the one who is above all, the one to whom each owes their being. For it is from God that each has its existence (Colossians 1.15-16). Apart from him, none of us would be. 

Let us then readily play our part. For, no matter our circumstances, regardless of what we may think or how we may feel, we exist for a reason. We have a God-ordained destiny, and it is good. Provided we submit to him, he will ensure that it comes to pass (v. 6). Regardless of whether we understand it or not, every being has a purpose. Each of the myriad objects of the universe was made with a particular intent. Yes, every creature has abundant reason to praise the Lord! (Ecclesiastes 3.11).

Oh, what a beautiful sound it will be! When all come together and lift up one voice, to give the Creator the praise he is due! Oh, how marvelous a scene to behold! When all of the heavens, the earth, and the seas, all with one accord, bring their praise to the King!

How are you going to praise him today? What part will you play in giving his due?

Hallelujah indeed!

Divine Hours Prayer: The Call to Prayer
Sing to him, sing praise to him, and speak of all his marvelous works. — Psalm 105.2

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summertime by Phyllis Tickle.


​Today’s Readings
Jeremiah 3 (Listen 4:40)
Psalms 148 (Listen 1:28)

​This Weekend’s Readings
Jeremiah 4 (Listen 5:23), Psalms 149-150 (Listen 1:36)
Jeremiah 5 (Listen 5:04), James 1 (Listen 3:26)

Read more about Humbled by the Heavens
God, we stand in awe on our tiny planet.
Thank you for heavens that humble us, Lord.

Read more about Readers’ Choice
Student Writers Month is winding down and Readers’ Choice starts in September, so it’s time to tell us about your favorite posts of the year.

https://forms.gle/9vyYwVxa1kZZn7AKA

Scripture Focus: Psalm 147:1-3
1 Praise the Lord. 
How good it is to sing praises to our God, 
how pleasant and fitting to praise him! 
2 The Lord builds up Jerusalem; 
he gathers the exiles of Israel. 
3 He heals the brokenhearted 
and binds up their wounds. 

Student Writers Month is here: The student writers featured from July 15 to August 9 have received free coaching, ministry training, and seminars by special guests in addition to this publishing opportunity, the ability to re-publish their work elsewhere, and a stipend/scholarship for their work. A portion of all donations during these dates will be applied to the students’ stipends/scholarships. Find out more about the students at this link or give a one-time or recurring gift at this link.

Reflection: Great and Mighty and Close
By Doug Hibbard

We shout, “Hallelujah!”

For the Lord our God made the heavens, the earth, the seas, and all that dwells in them! As we look at the wonders of creation, we see the amazing work of God.

We shout, “Hallelujah!”

For in his goodness, the Lord our God feeds the animals, makes grass grow, teaches birds to sing, and causes rain to fall! When we see the abundance of God’s provision and the grace of his providence, we can see that God cares for his creation in ways we cannot comprehend.

We shout, “Hallelujah!”

For the Lord our God numbers the stars, calls them by name, and understands all things beyond limit! We think of all we have yet to learn, all that we cannot understand, and yet we know our God is never baffled, stymied, or confused.

We shout “Hallelujah!”

For the Lord our God frustrates the wicked, casts evil to the ground, and reigns forevermore! We see dictators rise and fall, elected officials rally and disperse, and laws change with the views of the many, but God is stable. He is righteous and true, no matter what the world becomes.

We shout “Hallelujah!”

For the Lord our God is great and mighty, above and beyond all the lowliness of his creation.

And yet, he is not only great and mighty. He also comes close. He turns to the cause of the oppressed. He gives food to the hungry and sets prisoners free, lifting up those who carry great weights and sustaining those who are alone, abandoned, and worthless in the measure of the world.

He is not a god who is distant from those in need. In Jesus’s first sermon, he makes clear that he came specifically to be the one who binds up the broken and sets free the prisoner. (Luke 4:19-19, Isaiah 61:1-2)

When we cannot soar with the eagles or see his limitless provision, he comes to us. When we cannot look down from lofty mountain grandeur and behold his rule and reign, still he is there, lifting us up in our brokenness. He is there, standing for the oppressed. He is there in the darkness that weighs upon us as our years pile atop one another. He is not so lofty with majesty that we are left alone.

And so, whether in victory or defeat, in light or in darkness, we shout “Hallelujah!”

Divine Hours Prayer: A Reading
Blessed be the Lord, God of Israel, for he has visited his people, he has set them free, and he has established for us a saving power in the house of his servant David, just as he proclaimed, by the mouth of his holy prophets from ancient times. — Luke 1.68-70

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summertime by Phyllis Tickle.


​Today’s Readings
Jeremiah 2 (Listen 5:54)
Psalms 146-147 (Listen 3:09)

Read more about God’s Not Deaf
The fear that God may ignore your peril, the doubt that your pleas are being offered to a deaf God are not founded in truth.

Read more about Supporting Our Work
A portion of every donation during Student Writers Month goes toward stipends/scholarships for these students. Donate today.

Scripture Focus: Psalm 145.21
21 My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord.
      Let every creature praise his holy name
      for ever and ever.

From John: We are taking a one-day break from Student Writers Month today and revisiting a post about Psalm 145 from 2019. Today’s reflection is from the conclusion of  Hallowed be Your Name: A collection of prayers from around the world, written by the editor, Tony Cupit. We have often used prayers from this book in our Worldwide Prayer series.

Student Writers will resume tomorrow and run through August 12th. You can still donate during this time to help fund the students’ stipends/scholarships. Find out more about the students at this link or give a one-time or recurring gift at this link.
Reflection: Praying as Music
By Tony Cupit

If music is a universal language, prayer can be similarly described. Prayer is humankind’s universal language of love to God, a song of praise to our Maker, a cry of anguish for our sin, a note of pleading for our needs, an expression of thanksgiving for all God’s wondrous grace. And prayer is a whole lot more. We join as a fellowship of Christ’s followers to lift our hearts in prayer.

And prayer produces a beautiful union, a harmony between God and humanity. Before we begin to sing our song of love to God in prayer, we realize that in an amazing way God is already waiting for us to speak, to listen, to pray. This interaction between God and us, we call prayer. And always this duet is part of a glorious symphony as we join our prayer to God with fellow believers.

All around the world, God’s people sing an anthem of praise to God. Prayers—songs of worship and praise—are offered in this booklet so we can all enjoy heavenly music, duets, ensembles, choirs, congregations, whose music soars heavenward. These become an expression of reverence, of awe and wonder, to our Creator God whose mystery is wonderfully intriguing, to God’s Son whose person is beautifully enchanting and to God’s Holy Spirit whose presence is fiercely challenging and gently reassuring.

Whether we pray as a duet, a trio, a quartet, or a choir, may our worship in prayer be harmonious, melodious, clear and constant—for it was Jesus who taught us to pray, “yours is the Kingdom, the power and the glory, forever and ever.”

*Excerpt from the conclusion of Hallowed be Your Name: A collection of prayers from around the world, Dr. Tony Cupit, Editor.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Call to Prayer
Let Israel rejoice in its Maker; let the children of Zion be joyful in their king. For the Lord takes pleasure in his people and adorns the poor with victory. — Psalm 149.2, 4

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summertime by Phyllis Tickle.


​Today’s Readings
Jeremiah 1 (Listen 3:00)
Psalms 145 (Listen 2:19)

Read more about One Who Can Reach
Our God is never “out of touch.” God’s glory is all the more glorious because he reaches down to the lowest of the fallen.

Read more about Daughters of Saul and Sons of Moses
Do not let daughters of Saul or sons of Moses steal your joy in the lowly king, the humble teacher. Let us exalt him