The Second Sunday after Epiphany (Ps) January 15th

Psalm 25:1-22
1 To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
2 O my God, in you I trust;
let me not be put to shame;
let not my enemies exult over me.
3 Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame;
they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.
4 Make me to know your ways, O Lord;
teach me your paths.
5 Lead me in your truth and teach me,
for you are the God of my salvation;
for you I wait all the day long.
6 Remember your mercy, O Lord, and your steadfast love,
for they have been from of old.
7 Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions;
according to your steadfast love remember me,
for the sake of your goodness, O Lord!
8 Good and upright is the Lord;
therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
9 He leads the humble in what is right,
and teaches the humble his way.
10 All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness,
for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.
11 For your name’s sake, O Lord,
pardon my guilt, for it is great.
12 Who is the man who fears the Lord?
Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose.
13 His soul shall abide in well-being,
and his offspring shall inherit the land.
14 The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him,
and he makes known to them his covenant.
15 My eyes are ever toward the Lord,
for he will pluck my feet out of the net.
16 Turn to me and be gracious to me,
for I am lonely and afflicted.
17 The troubles of my heart are enlarged;
bring me out of my distresses.
18 Consider my affliction and my trouble,
and forgive all my sins.
19 Consider how many are my foes,
and with what violent hatred they hate me.
20 Oh, guard my soul, and deliver me!
Let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.
21 May integrity and uprightness preserve me,
for I wait for you.
22 Redeem Israel, O God,
out of all his troubles.
The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001 (Ps 25:1-22). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

It is the God of our Salvation who has claimed us and redeemed us. He is there with us in our times of need. He is always there to watch over us. The Psalmist reminds us to call to him in times of distress and trouble. God is the one who can lift us up out of the miry bog of our life. He is the one who will deliver our souls.

There are times when we do not hear his voice. We do not always listen when the LORD calls to us. Sometimes we get our feet snared in the net as we try to call and expand the church on our own. But not just when we try to expand the church, but when we try to get ourselves out of tough situations. We often forget to turn to God in our Time of need.

But it is Christ Jesus who first caught his disciples in his net. Jesus makes them to be fishers of men so that they can catch others in that great net. He is the one who gives us salvation. It is still the Love of God that surpasses our understanding because he first loved us even while we were still sinners. So we can all ask with the Psalmist:
Lead me in your truth and teach me,
for you are the God of my salvation;
for you I wait all the day long.