Plan Info
2016 Belmont University Lenten GuideSample
Get the app
Biblical scholars maintain that this short psalm begins as a prayer of thanksgiving that commemorates the end of the Babylonian exile. Those returning to their homeland after Cyrus the Great of Persia conquered Babylon are overwhelmed with joy and seek to praise God for their deliverance. Their homecoming was nothing short of miraculous and was an event that was even recognized by those in other nations.
There is more to this psalm than thanksgiving though. Building on the theme of gratitude, the composer seems to be reminding God (and the reader) of the great deliverance from Babylon in hopes that God will once again come to the aid of God’s people. It appears that hard times have fallen upon the people, as fortunes need to be restored because they have been damaged or destroyed. Tears are being shed, and the psalmist reflects that in such difficult times, seeds are being sown. These seeds of hope rest on the promise that God will faithfully deliver the people once again. However, it is important to note that action must not be God’s alone. The people of God must sow the seeds and trust that God will help them to grow, thereby maintaining faith in the covenantal relationship they share with the Divine.
During this season of Lent, Christians recall the suffering and sacrifice of Jesus by reflecting on ideas of repentance and denial. As the psalm seems to indicate, during times of hardship, we often remember easier times in hopes that such memories will sustain us and propel us toward a future that will be joyous. Christians are not simply called to remember the life of Jesus during this season; we are also called to actively repent and to take on practices that remind us of who we are as people of faith striving to maintain our relationship with God. We are called to be faithful sowers of the seeds of hope as we wait for Easter morning.
As we remember and seriously reflect on the suffering that so fills our world during this Lenten season, let us actively sow seeds of hope as we anticipate not only the approaching Easter Sunday, but as we also hope for the presence of Divine love in our midst that daily works to reconcile and make right all that is not.
SALLY HOLT
Professor of Religion
College of Theology & Christian Ministry
There is more to this psalm than thanksgiving though. Building on the theme of gratitude, the composer seems to be reminding God (and the reader) of the great deliverance from Babylon in hopes that God will once again come to the aid of God’s people. It appears that hard times have fallen upon the people, as fortunes need to be restored because they have been damaged or destroyed. Tears are being shed, and the psalmist reflects that in such difficult times, seeds are being sown. These seeds of hope rest on the promise that God will faithfully deliver the people once again. However, it is important to note that action must not be God’s alone. The people of God must sow the seeds and trust that God will help them to grow, thereby maintaining faith in the covenantal relationship they share with the Divine.
During this season of Lent, Christians recall the suffering and sacrifice of Jesus by reflecting on ideas of repentance and denial. As the psalm seems to indicate, during times of hardship, we often remember easier times in hopes that such memories will sustain us and propel us toward a future that will be joyous. Christians are not simply called to remember the life of Jesus during this season; we are also called to actively repent and to take on practices that remind us of who we are as people of faith striving to maintain our relationship with God. We are called to be faithful sowers of the seeds of hope as we wait for Easter morning.
As we remember and seriously reflect on the suffering that so fills our world during this Lenten season, let us actively sow seeds of hope as we anticipate not only the approaching Easter Sunday, but as we also hope for the presence of Divine love in our midst that daily works to reconcile and make right all that is not.
SALLY HOLT
Professor of Religion
College of Theology & Christian Ministry
About this Plan
Again this year, through an intentional partnership between the College of Theology & Christian Ministry and the Office of University Ministries, we have been able to create and offer a Lenten Devotional Guide to help o...
More
We are truly grateful for all of the individuals who have helped to make this fifth annual Lent and Holy Week guide a reality for our campus community, as it was indeed a campuswide collaboration that includes contributions from students, faculty and staff from across the campus, and even a few alumni. For more information, please visit: http://www.belmont.edu/
Related Plans
Belmont University Advent Guide
The Gospel of Mark (Part Seven)
Fully Devoted
Advent - We Have Found The King
The Boy Who Is Lord By Mark Driscoll
The Week That Changed The World
Elijah. Man of Courage, Man of Faith, Man of God.
Lent Journey
Godly Masculinity - Wisdom for Young Men
