A Psalm Meditation: Pslam 121

I lift up my eyes to the Hills

from where will my help come from?

I lift up my eyes to the Hills

from where my help will come from.

When did you lift up your eyes this week?

…lift them up from the screen?

…from the sorrow?

When did you lift them up from the clutter?

…from the things left undone?

I lift up my eyes. 

What will I do? 

What am I looking for? Spirit? Help? Hope?

What am I looking for? Mystery? Healing? Wisdom? 

What am I looking for? Insight? Comfort? Connection?

What am I looking for? Forgiveness? Safety?  A Pathway?

What am I looking for?

Home in God?

The thing about the Christian Life is that it is no insulation from the challenge of living.  God’s not an equation: ‘If I do this, God will protect or stop the trouble of life’ … as much as we want that guarantee.

And yet, for those of you who have travelled the road with Jesus so far, you will have stories of where your help has come.  You will have stories of Grace, healing, protection, guidance; even in the mess where the pathway was not clear at all.  You who journey with Jesus will recall moments where your mouth has said words you simply have not planned: but you hear them and upon reflection think… hmmm, the Spirit is as work.  You who have extended your trust in Jesus, even when faith seemed dry, and your circumstances went from bad to worse… and nevertheless you will have stories of the ‘HOLY HOLY HOLY’ woven into your daily living, in the weeks of bewilderment, the months of driving home lost, in the seasons of the deepest discontent, from the years of hurt… you will have lifted your eyes to the Hills, from where help comes.  Even if you were alone: even if there was no visible sign of change.

God is faithful.

Never sleeping

The One who keeps us is sure, stable…your shade at your right hand.

The One who keeps you, keeps you from evil.

And keeps your life…  your going out and your coming in.

This week during Lent, is an invitation to consider your prayer life… lifting up your eyes to the Hills from where your help will come.  And the invitation is to begin again: to pray again.  Try a different way to pray.  Lift up your eyes is a prayer action… or maybe you need to read a poem, sit in some silence, light a candle and watch…  try a psalm?

These are the weeks to deepen your faith with practices; to nurture your time and life in Jesus. Keep growing: Keep Going.

Finding stillness can be painful.

Finding silence can be scary.

What if I hear myself? What if I hear my heart: my God?

What if, when I am still and silent, I begin to feel the hurt or pain of grief?

Stillness and silence gives an opportunity for the grief and sadnesses of life to catch up with us.  What do I do with that?

I lift my eyes up to the Hills, from where my help comes… Invite the Light of Christ to heal, warm, soothe, comfort, tenderly meet us: Keep growing: Keep Going.

The One we serve bravely did the same; telling stories of love and justice: compassion and forgiveness.  And even He would meet the violence of this world: but it didn’t stop the story that leads to life.

The journey to Easter day, where resurrection life is made real

“See my wounds” … and yet I am alive.

I lift my up eyes to the Hills, from where will my help come?

I lift up my eyes to the Hills, from where my help will come.  Amen