Lenten Devotional - Palm Sunday

Scripture: Psalm 31:11-24

“I am the scorn of all my adversaries, a horror to my neighbors, an object of dread to my acquaintances; those who see me in the street flee from me. I have passed out of mind like one who is dead; I have become like a broken vessel. For I hear the whispering of many — terror all around! — as they scheme together against me, as they plot to take my life. But I trust in you, O LORD; I say, "You are my God." (Ps. 31:11-14)

  Over the years, I have spoken to many individuals both those with alcohol and other drug (AOD) problems and those with other problems who could have easily applied these words of the Psalmist to their current situation. Amid all their problems and the consequences, they came to understand that they are scorned by their communities and a horror to their neighbors. They understand why people flee from them and why their acquaintances, family, and friends find them a subject of dread.

  If they had ever read the Psalm they probably would agree with the psalmist “I have become like a broken vessel. For I hear the whispering of many – terror all around!” (Ps. 31:12–13) Many individuals in the depths of their AOD dependency do begin to understand the gravity of their situation, but many have come to believe they have simply gone too far. They are like the psalmist cannot come to that point, where they affirm “I trust in you, O Lord; I say, “You are my God.” (v. 12)

  Addiction is deadly, the percentage of those who recover is low and many end up permanently disabled, dead, imprisoned or insane. As disheartening as the statistics are regarding addiction, this does not need to be the norm, treatment works, recovery is possible. Getting people to accept treatment and enter recovery will always be difficult, if they believe, they have gone too far for mercy or hope to apply to them. Many things prevent recovery from occurring, but scorn, dread and whispering by others takes a toll on possible treatment of many people. If, we only flee from them and treat them with scorn and dread, we are not just bringing despair to some faceless stranger, but too frequently to the chances for recovery for people who are our neighbors, friends and family.

Lee McDermott, Contributor

Remember in Prayer: Individuals who only feel the scorn and dread of those around them who seem to only flee away.

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Informational Resources

Large List of Web Links related to Alcohol and other Drugs provided by the National Institute on Drug Abuse

          www.drugabuse.gov/about-nida/other-resources