No Toll-Free Number Needed
Psalm 121
1. I lift up my eyes to the hills. From whence does my help come? 2. My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. 3. He will not let your foot be moved, he who keeps you will not slumber. 4. Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. 5. The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand. 6. The sun shall not smite you by day, nor the moon by night. 7. The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. 8. The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and for evermore
Deuteronomy 28:1-6
1. "And if you obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all his commandments which I command you this day, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. 2. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the Lord your God. 3. Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the field. 4. Blessed shall be the fruit of your body, and the fruit of your ground, and the fruit of your beasts, the increase of your cattle, and the young of your flock. 5. Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading-trough. 6. Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out.
Wow! Even Nationwide can’t make a promise like this! In fact, no one and nothing on this earth can promise absolute, complete, total and constant comfort and protection every single second of your life. I’m pretty sure Nationwide has a “1-800” number for after hours calls. God doesn’t send calls to a service – he answers them all, personally. And unlike an insurance company, which will ultimately cancel your coverage if you have too many accidents or moving violations, God’s coverage is eternal, and on-going. This is an important point to the original hearers and readers of these passages, because Baal, one of the most powerful gods of the time, did sleep sometimes, and so, it was believed, worshippers were without his protection during his slumber.
The God who made heaven and earth can certainly handle what’s going on in my life – and in yours. It may not feel that way sometimes, but I think I feel the farthest from God when I try to take charge of a situation. When I interject my own will, things don’t always work out in my favor. God doesn’t promise he’ll give us our hearts’ every desire – unless that desire is to see His face in heaven at the end of time. He does promise He will provide for us what we need to live in Him. And He promises to be with us throughout every struggle and every celebration. He will support us through the rough parts of our life, and sustain us through our trials.
Hmn . . . This is one of those mornings where the scripture passages don’t really need much interpretation or explanation. They pretty much speak for themselves. My husband and I were at a healing prayer conference this weekend. One of the most profound statements made by a nun to whom St. Francis went for advice was quoted by one of the speakers: “God Is. That is all you need to know.” We make it much more complicated than that, don’t we? But that is really all we need to know to be reassured and comforted that we are in God’s care. And there is no better, safer, gentler or more loving place to be.
My prayer today is that will rest in Him who keeps your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore. And that you will lift your eyes to the hills and find God there.
Mary
