Who Am I?

Dear Sutton and Savannah, 

Do you think prayer is reminding God of what God seems to have forgotten? Or is prayer God reminding us of what we seem to have forgotten?

-Dad

Inside Out Lectionary Letters

Year A Proper 7 - (Texts, Art, Hymns)

Readings for Sunday, June 21, 2026

Genesis 21:8-21 / Psalm 86:1-10, 16-17 / Romans 6:1b-11 / Matthew 10:24-39

Summary of Psalm 86:1-10, 16-17

Psalm 86 is unusual because it is one of the few psalms explicitly attributed to David in the latter part of the Psalter. It reads like a personal prayer, woven together from phrases and themes found throughout other psalms. It moves between three key questions: Who am I? What do I need? And, who is God?

Scripture as a Mirror of the Soul

The psalmist self-describes as poor and needy, devoted, God’s servant, crying all day long, lifting up his soul, in trouble, and calling on God.  His needs are straightforward. He wants God to listen and answer, preserve his life, be gracious to him, gladden his soul, turn to him, give him strength and save him. God is viewed as good and forgiving, abounding in love, and willing to answer. There is no one like God; nothing like God’s works. God is great, and does wondrous things. These are the assumptions the psalmist has about himself, his needs and God. 

We all have assumptions regarding the three key questions mentioned above. Prayer allows those assumptions to be examined, challenged, refined, and sometimes transformed. My view of myself may be distorted. My understanding of God may be incomplete. My evaluation of my needs may suffer from fear, bias, or selfishness. But this is where I begin. I bring the best understanding I have today and place it before the Divine.

I am not certain of anything, but open to everything.

My Prayer: Oh God, take up residence in me. Teach me who I am. Teach me who You are. Teach me what I truly need. Since You are the Creator, have Your way with Your creation. Redeem all that is within me so that I might become whole. And from that wholeness, may I become a redeeming presence in the world around me.