Terry Paul Choyce
May 25, 2008 Brunswick Street United Church
The 23rd Psalm is one of the most loved and read psalms in the Bible. It's 15 lines of wisdom help us us in times of grief, and they assure us that God is always with us. This psalm also reminds us of the beauty of nature and that we need to be grateful for our lives.
Our dear friend Jim Wilson passed on on May 16. Jim was an important member of this congregation and we will greatly miss him. We will be having a service for him here on Wed. May 28th at 3. Jim had a profound faith in God, and I know he loved the 23rd Psalm, so I thought it was appropriate to centre the service around it today.
This psalm is read at many funeral services because of the lines "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me." This psalm does not say God will keep you from death and pain and loss. These are all parts of everyone's life. This psalm says God will be with you in your hard times. You may feel alone in your grief, but if you open your heart to God's love, you will not be alone. Walking through that dark shadowy valley is a scary thing. Doing it alone intensifies the pain. Many of us close ourselves off to other people because we are afraid of the pain of losing them, or being rejected by them. We live smaller lives out of fear. God does not want us to be fearful. He will help us when we feel weak, vulnerable, terrified, ashamed, or despondent. Every book in the Bible tells us that God is with us. He will give us the inner strength to get through everything.
I'd like to read from page 92 of Rabbi Kushner's book, The Lord is my Shepard.
"There are times when the shadow that death casts over our lives is not the prospect of our own death but the death of people close to us, people we love. They die and the sunshine goes out of our lives. All we can see is the darkness....If we didn't love people that much, it would not hurt nearly as much when we lose them, to death or other circumstances.....But think of how much you miss when you are afraid to "give your heart away" because you are afraid of losing the one you love. Think of all the joy you rule out of your life when you try to avoid the shadow of death and loss at all costs."
Kushner here is talking about emotional death, not just physical dying. For many of us, it is emotional pain that drains and demoralizes us the most. Regardless of how old you are, or how much money you have, or how educated you are, you are an emotional being, and that affects your life more than anything else. God tells us over and over that he is always there for us emotionally and spiritually. With God in your heart you may experience death and loss but these will not crush and destroy you.
"He restoreth my soul" is a powerful line. I don't think you can ever lose your soul, but sometimes you can feel pretty disconnected from it. When you are angry, upset, overly busy, worried, or drugged-out you feel a spiritual numbness or emptiness. When this happens, it is time to stop and reflect on how you can feel "whole" again. We each have different ways of replenishing the soul. It could be a visit with a friend, a day in the country, a game with a child, a hot bath, a few extra hours in bed, a church service, a call to a sick person, a good book, a movie or video, really hearing the music you love, eating cheesecake or french fries, petting a puppy, swimming in the sea, hugging someone you love. Taking time to enjoy ourselves and to relax is essential to our happiness and health. In Genesis it says God rested on the seventh day. Why don't we allow ourselves a time of rest and pleasure and peace? Our souls need it.
Every day I have intense moments when I feel like my cup runneth over. I think my attitude of gratitude has shaped my life more than anything, or anyone else. Jim also expressed gratitude for what he had. The last few years he has lived in a small studio apartment that was not well heated. But he appreciated all that he had, partly because he spent many years with not much at all. Jim had a rough life, but he had a strong, loving spirit. And most of all he appreciated everyone who said "hello" and made him feel like a friend. Jimmy loved people. And he loved dogs. And he loved this church. This is what Kushner says about gratitude on page 145. (Xerox)
The last 2 lines of the 23rd Psalm are very optimistic and positive. They talk about goodness and mercy and living in the House of the Lord forever. If you live every day feeling grateful and loving, I can guarantee that you will experience a lot of goodness and people will be merciful towards you, and you will feel mercy and compassion for everyone. And to live in the house of the Lord is to know that you are always cared for and you should be secure in the love of God. And this is not just for today or tomorrow. This is forever. God will love you forever.
Today let us have peace in our hearts knowing that Jim Wilson is now living in the House of the Lord. His physical pain is gone. His worries are over. He is now feeling goodness and mercy. And he is not alone.
