Marinate

When the meat or veggies have been marinating, and the barbeque is sizzling
we expect that a tender, tasty mouthful of goodness will soon follow.

This summer we marinate in the flavour of the psalms,
soaking in the trustworthiness of God,
absorbing their freedom to fully express the cries of the heart.

AND this summer we also marinate in the perspectives of others whose lives differ from ours,
becoming more tender as we steep in their worldview and worthiness
and translate the ancient psalms into cries of their heart.

It’s quite audacious, really, to expect that we can crawl inside someone else’s skin, perceive from their point of view, experience their suffering or guess their heart cry. And yet, as we practice, as we marinate in another’s needs and motivations, as we bring their world into conversation with God, we are transformed. This spiritual practice makes us more tender, more understanding and more compassionate, more able to absorb unfamiliar flavours of God’s presence.

Each Sunday, we focus on one psalm. Taking the biblical text seriously, the speaker(s) will translate its images, actions, requests and gratitude into the voice of another person today.