With Steady Hearts and Burning Zeal
Pentecost 12, August 31, 2025
Sirach 10:12-18
Psalm 112
Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16
Luke 14:1, 7-14
Our psalm for today (112) is related to the previous psalm and was most likely written by the same poet. The evidence for this is that they both are acrostic poems; each measure begins with the next letter in the Hebrew alphabet (although our translation only gives 20 measures). Another clue that these two are related is that psalm 112 starts where 111 left off – the fear of the Lord. Psalm 111 tells us that those who praise the works of the Lord will fear the Lord. Psalm 112 expresses that it is the fear of the Lord which motivates us to act as God wishes; to follow God’s commandments.
The call to fear the Lord is a well-worn theme in the Old Testament. One that is often over looked by Christians these days. I cannot tell you how many conversations that I have had over the past 30 or so years as a pastor with people who think fear of the Lord is old fashioned and even unchristian. In those conversations (at least with other Lutherans) I point to the Small Catechism and Luther’s definition of the Ten Commandments. There he tells us that we should, “Fear, love, and trust God above anything else.” That is what the psalmist is saying in these psalms. He too talks about keeping the commandments.
Yet, you might say, the writer of Hebrews tells us a different line when he says, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can anyone do to me?” Actually, I believe, this is saying the same thing. If you fear the Lord above anything else, there is nothing to fear in the world and in our lives. That is, to fear, love, and trust in God above anything else means to place your whole life into God’s care. Once you do this you will see that there is nothing in all the world that will separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus. Fearing God above everything else is a freeing experience. Knowing that nothing in this world can take away God’s love allows you the freedom to live as God commands as Jesus did.
I am not saying that your life will be easier or filled with many more good things because of God’s gift of Jesus. I am saying that no matter what happens you are in God’s care; in good times and in bad times. We certainly need that. Maybe more in good times since our society teaches us that you make your life to happen. That leads us to think that when life is filled with abundance we believe it is our own doing. That attitude is a failure of understanding – that our abundance is always a gift from God. When we fear, love, and trust God above all things we know that is true and can answer to share our abundance with others so they may experience God’s love through us. And when life is tough we also show God’s love because when we fear, love, and trust God above anything else we know our life is in God’s hands and that no matter what happens we are always the Lord’s. So, listen to our psalmist and enjoy God’s creation and, with steady hearts and burning zeal, share all that you have with others so that they may learn the joy the comes from the fear, love, and trust of God.