May he send you help from the sanctuary, and give you support from Zion. – Psalm 20:2
I hope you will take the time today to read the entirety of Psalm 20. It is a prayer that speaks to us who very much need to hear of a victory right now.
This psalm was something of a prayer to God on behalf of the Davidic king of Israel. The people of Israel apparently would sing this song as a prayer to God to deliver their king – maybe right before a battle. Their fate was wrapped up with their king’s. If he won, they won. If he lost, they lost. It was in their best interest, for the king to win. So, they would pray to God on behalf and for their leader.
Today, we read this psalm, and while we know that our true king is Jesus, who with God and the Holy Spirit are working for our best interest. We also know that we have those who govern over us, who need protection, who need support, for whom we need to pray. Beyond them, we pray for those who fight the battle, and we hope with great expectation that one day, and soon, we will see a victory in which we are eagerly awaiting.
The need for support is great on all levels. We all need encouragement, we all need prayer, we are all seeking a victory, and a time in which we no longer have to fear gathering together. We know that from the Lord our help will come, and we pray he will remember us, as has been the prayer from the people of God throughout the centuries.
The reality of the impact caused by this virus, and our time away from one another, is also great. For many it has meant a time of financial uncertainty, and the church definitely feels this uncertainty. We have tried to cut back on our spending, on utilities, in ministry areas, in any way that we can, but we still have bills that need to be paid, we still want to offer support to our community, and our staff. The need for support is great here as well. As a sign of our worship, we bring our tithes and offerings to the church, many of us do this by placing cash or checks in the offering plate. However, we aren’t able to gather and do so now. So, I’m asking for your support as we enter into this new month.
I realize that some of you may be dealing with your own financial burdens because of this time. If this is the case, please know we want you to be able to take care of your needs. However, if you are able to fulfill your commitment, or offer some of your gifts to the church, please know we use these to continue the ministry of this wonderful place, rooting deeper and reaching farther for the glory of God.
Right now we offer 3 ways to support St. Mark Finacially:
You can mail your tithe/offering check to: PO BOX 11007 Knoxville, TN 37939-1007
You can give online at: stmarkknox.org, click give then give online, the process is very easy.
Call us. There are times when someone is in the office, and if you would like to drop your check off in person, we will be there to greet you and receive your gift.
Though we are not able to gather in our sanctuary at St. Mark, we know that the Lord God will send help from the sanctuary of your heart, and from the Holy Mountain of Zion.
May we shout for joy over the Lord’s victory, and in the name of our God. Amen.
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Sam