Gems of Beauty
Are you a rock picker? Walking along the shore of a river, lake or ocean, do you find yourself picking up a sparkling rock, an interesting shell or a piece of drift wood? I do – and so do other members of my family. When our boys were little, I had to put a limit on the number of rocks they could bring home – a catch and release rule – even though they argued that each rock was as precious as a gem stone. If you visited our home, you would find that when we moved, we could not part from many of these beloved rocks and shells.
What is precious to you? What do you hold onto?
Science fiction writer Ray Bradbury loved books. Living during WWII when Hitler was burning books, Bradbury penned a science fiction story in which all books were being banned and burned. In order to preserve these books, a group of renegade book lovers memorized their favorite book. One chose the Gospel of Mark, another the Gospel of John, another chose the Odyssey & the Iliad. A book lover myself, I pondered which book would I memorize? Would it be the Gospel of Luke? Or Romans? A teenager when I first read this book, this prospect seemed daunting …maybe I would choose something shorter like one of Paul’s letters or 1st John. It’s only a couple of pages long.
Martin Luther chose the Psalms. As a monk, Luther learned the Psalms by heart and they became a bedrock for his faith. In his preface to the Psalms, Luther writes, “The human heart is like a ship on a stormy sea driven about by winds blowing from all four corners of heaven. The Book of Psalms is full of heartfelt utterances made during storms of this kind.”
This is certainly reflected in the Psalms chosen for today. And while we may not be able or choose to memorize the whole book of Psalms, there are some verses here that are as bright as gems – and are worth picking up and holding in your hand and in your heart.
Some of the Psalms speak in the first person – and so when you are filled with despair and hopelessness, I urge you to recall this verse from Psalm 121: “I lift up my eyes to the hills – from where will my help come?” The response is swift: “My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”
Other Psalms are for the community. When we are buffeted by storms of any kind, remember these words from Psalm 46, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” And God’s response to our flailing around, “Be still, and know that I am God.”
The Psalms were the prayerbook of Jesus and can be your prayer book too. When your heart feels like it is a ship on a stormy sea, you can join the Psalmist in expressing your anger, frustration or fear and then… keep reading until you hear God’s response of hope, protection and assurance that you can trust in God. And, when your heart is full of gratitude and your boat is in peaceful waters, you can find in the Psalms inspiring words of hope, gratitude, praise and adoration.
May you find in the Psalms gems of beauty that sparkle with wisdom, hope and the promises of God. As the Psalmist writes: “The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.” Thanks be to God. Amen.
1Martin Luther, Preface to the Psalter.
May 18, 2025 + Faith-Lilac Way Lutheran + Pastor Pam Stalheim Lane