Psalm 85

The lectionary this week seems to be focusing on a theme of grace and maybe mixed in with that is God's enduring willingness to forgive us as well as issues of justice. Hosea starts with God's rejecting the people who have turned their backs onto the Lord. Yet God loves them despite what they do as God asks Hosea to love his wife despite what she does. I was reading an article from The Text This Week talking about Hosea and that there is a pattern in the entire book. It starts with repentance, divine forgiveness, and mercy. This seems to be the pattern of all the scriptures for Sunday. Also for us to remain persistent in our asking.
The Psalm starts with the past when God restored the fortunes of Jacob, forgave the iniquity of the people for their sin, and turned away God's anger. The psalm is a prayer of being restored to God's favor once again. Who is asking and when this was written is unknown though it would appear to be around the time of the exile. Regardless, the writer prays for God's mercy as God has extended it in the past. God will speak to those who turn to him (repentance) and to be faithful. When the people are able to do that then God's glory may dwell in the land. The author offers us a vision of what that would look like. Love and righteousness will meet, righteousness and peace will kiss each other. Faithfulness will spring from the ground and God will give what is good.
If I am one of the group of sinners (and I am), I want God's mercy and grace to be without limits. The struggle is do I want that for those with whom I disagree or would I like that mercy and grace to have some conditions attached. It is hard to have it both ways. I believe that God extends to us without conditions unmerited grace when we are willing to turn ourselves to God. That grace is extended to all people without strings attached.
Wednesday I will be preaching in our communion service on the topic of hope. There is a connection between what the lectionary is saying about God's grace and our hope. Paul often writes that as we turn to God with faith we receive a new life full of hope and love. We can have that new life because of God's love of us in the past and now and in the future.