"Serve" | Reflection by Patricia Thurston

Psalm 100, a Psalm of Thanksgiving, calls us to make a joyful noise to God and to serve God with gladness. In dark, uncertain times when so many suffer, this command can sound false and unsympathetic to the human condition. I was talking with a Russian friend who has beloved Ukrainian relatives. Her Ukrainian family is not in a safe place and she cannot rescue them. As a Russian, she experiences people directing anger and hatred toward her, because they associate all Russians with the actions of the Russian government. How do people rise above the convulsions of evil and ill will? My friend looks to the Psalms and the life of Jesus for strength. She told me that now is our opportunity to show the power God’s love has over the evil in this world. The Psalm tells us that before we can serve God, we must remind ourselves that we belong to God, and we are the sheep of God’s pasture. Jesus, our shepherd, calls us to love one another and ourselves, serving God through serving others, even in terribly anxious moments, even in the face of evil toward us. My friend’s faith gives me strength. During Lent I am striving to direct the thoughts deep within my heart toward my Creator who loves me, working to be mindful of ways I can serve God with gladness, by rising above carelessness through acts of kindness and a spirit of compassion.