The land of life and prosperity

Psalm 5
Journal entry dated February 23, 2005

"Lead me into the land of life and prosperity"

This is a prayer that people might be permitted to experience life in its fullness. Human enmity and the machinations of the wicked have created an environment that threatens life and prosperity; life and prosperity are threatened by people of "blood and deceit." We pray, then, that God may lead us forth from this death-dealing realm, where human dignity is compromised, where justice is disregarded, where life is threatened, into the land of life and prosperity, that place where life is cherished and safeguarded, where we are given the opportunity to realize our full potential, where people live in fidelity to their truest selves, rather than serving the interests of those who exploit them, existing as adjuncts to the prosperity of others.

"Lead me into the land of life and prosperity" is a prayer that we may live without exploitation, without taking advantage of others or using them for our own ends.

We are deprived of life and prosperity by people of blood and deceit. Deprived of life by unsafe working conditions, unhealthy living conditions, stress, overwork. And deprived of prosperity by being forced to live in relationships of exploitation. This deprivation of prosperity is not merely a loss of economic opportunity; it is "deceit," being forced to live in a way that is false to our true identity. At its basis, every relationship of exploitation is a lie, a falsification of our being. The lie is, "You were made for me, you belong to me, you are mine."

To be on the path to the land of life and prosperity, then, means we must renounce the lie and embrace the truth about ourselves: that we are endowed with dignity and created for freedom. "Give me space and freedom" (Psalm 4:1).