My Help Comes From the Lord

I lift up my eyes to the hills— from where will my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade at your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time on and for evermore. Psalm 121

I memorized Psalm 121 as a child along with many other bible verses and psalms. For some reason, today, rather than the Gospel for today this came to my mind. We all need protection and help and, in some seasons, we feel so helpless we don't know even what to ask for. We can be so overwhelmed by loss, grief, massive changes and betrayals, that we feel all alone. While in New Mexico for a dear friend's funeral, as we drove through the amazing scenery, mountains striated with colors of all sorts, the words of this Psalm have echoed through my being. A deep, embedded reminder that, these ancient words, that when all else fails, and it will, we can look up to our God, the Creator, who was and is our help, our shade, our keeper, our protection from evil, the one who is with us in every step and every breath we take.

Eternal Creator, you are our hope and stay

you shield us from the terrors of life

you hold us close in the midst of storms

and never leave us even when we feel alone.

We are facing big transitions that shake us

we know cruelty and betrayals around us

we often think you have given us these troubles

forgetting that you our help and shade in all the heat.

Help us to turn to you in our time of discomfort

help us to rejoice in your love in every moment

give us the strength to share your deep care

and may we live and share your love with this world. Amen.