Psalm 130:7,8 Israel, put your hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love and with him is full redemption. He himself will redeem Israel from all their sins.
Much of the early part of this psalm seems to be a very personal interaction between the writer and God. It begins, “Out of the depths I cry to the Lord.” But then, at the end noted above, the psalmist is very aware of his standing in the nation and of the nation’s standing before God. As we approach Independence Day, perhaps this psalm can remind us that everything is not about me and my personal concerns and my needs and desires. We all exist as part of greater communities, our country being one. When our faith calls us to serve God it calls us to do so as a member of this greater community. We live in a multi-cultural, multi-faith world and country, but we live in it as individuals with faith in the God of the Bible and who believe this God is not ours only, but also those of the community who seeks God’s “unfailing love” and “full redemption.” As you honor America this week, how will your private faith also be a public faith?
Logan Memorial Presbyterian Church 