A Very Present Help

During Daily Prayer this morning, I read Psalm 46.  It seemed very timely for my life, the lives of the people whom I love and am praying for, and for our country during this intense season.

I find that when a scripture stands out to me that much, that it is helpful to actually take the time to write it down by hand.  The reason being is it helps me to sit with the words, roll them over in my mind and embed them through prayer into my spirit.  As I did this, I was continually surprised by the words and phrases that jumped out at me that I had missed by merely reading.

This particular psalm is filled with a back and forth volley between the reality of who God is and the current circumstances of the world.

He is our refuge and strength despite the fact that the world is in tumult around us.

The imagery of drowning in overwhelming waters is subdued by the image of the river of peace flowing into the city of God.  He says, He will not be moved.  

As I read it, I remembered recently taking my daughter's head into my hand as she wept about a problem that was overwhelming her.  As I lifted her eyes to meet mine I said, "If you stare at the problem, it will not go away.  But if you lift your eyes and look around you - at all the people who love you, are surrounding you and cheering you through this time - then the problem won't seem so overwhelming."  These verses to me were like God asking me to lift my own eyes from the problems that surround me and place my eyes on Him, where He is sitting enthroned with full confidence and peace.

This psalm, however, recognizes our humanness and the scene is quickly ripped back again onto the shaking and quivering that surrounds the time period.  It is answered by the quiet whisper - the Lord is with us, He is our stronghold. This is how he operates.

Just - be still and know that I am God.

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If the circumstances and situations of your life right now are taking you on this roller coaster of emotions, I pray that your soul and spirit will find solace in Psalm 46.  I encourage you to take time to hand-write this psalm down and see the places where He grasps your heart, mind and spirit.

In Christ,

The Conversation of Creation

The wind rustling through the air.

The sun creeping to far away places.

 The clouds drifting - 
a constantly changing canvas.

 The grasses swaying in the wind.

The birds joining in. 

Sounds.

The conversation of creation surrounds us constantly
 - from the large to the very small. 

This is just the surface;
it barely scratches all that is there. 

Yet, 
we can't take it all in, 
we can't hold it all - 
the amazement, 
the wonder
 it slips through our hands 

The conversation of love and sustenance

Surrounds.

You didn't need to say much more.

Actually anymore. 

But 
you chose to step in 
to bring love beyond 
what constantly surrounds

what we've grown so accustomed to

 that we stopped 

Listening. 

You took on the simplicity, 
the regularity of our humanity
 and you added another element,

an element of 

Love. 

It started as a baby's cry piercing the night,  

then the laughter of a little child, 

to the deep breaths of a man
creating, building. 

It moved to the cries, 
the tears of loss. 

The rejection
 of acquaintances, friends, those closest to you. 

You were whipped, 
spat upon and through it all you choose to say, 

"Father forgive them." 

In the commonness of everyday man

you chose to come and share the story of the uncreated One

- The story of love-

 every step of the way,

 the crescendo of 

Acceptance.

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Amazing Creator of both big and small,

thank you 

for taking the time to show us your hands aren't too large

to hold our very small.

In Christ,