July 18, 2022
Read Psalm 121:1-8
1 I raise my eyes toward the mountains. Where will my help come from? 2 My help comes from the LORD, the maker of heaven and earth. 3 God won’t let your foot slip. Your protector won’t fall asleep on the job. 4 No! Israel’s protector never sleeps or rests! 5 The LORD is your protector; the LORD is your shade right beside you. 6 The sun won’t strike you during the day; neither will the moon at night. 7 The LORD will protect you from all evil; God will protect your very life. 8 The LORD will protect you on your journeys whether going or coming from now until forever from now.
Good morning! God will protect our very lives.
As I adjust to my Virginia Space Coast Scholars Academy at Wallops Flight Facility, I am writing a little later than normal. I hope that most days I will still post early in the morning, but things didn’t work that way today. Blessings to you all!
For many of us, we find great comfort when we interface with God in the majestic nature that surrounds us. Some dear friends call the Piedmont/Blue Ridge area of Virginia, God’s Country. It is hard to argue that point when you look at the mountains that fill our landscape. Of course, my friends in the Tidewater area would argue that the oceans are God’s Country. I am not here to join in that conversation, but to claim that for me, I feel closest to God when I communicate with God immersed in nature.
From the mountain peaks and valleys that seem to spread into infinity, to the never ceasing movement of the oceans, God is with us. We are blessed to live where these views are readily available. Nevertheless, God’s majesty is also present in the middle of the busiest city. For those who are looking, we might see a lone flower growing through the cracks in the sidewalks.
On a recent trip to the mountains, I noticed how plants and trees grow from unlikely crevices. Yet, when I plant and nourish similar plants with everything that mankind can provide, sometimes the plants can’t grow. Humans are unable to duplicate the complexity and simplicity of what God created.
It is natural to look to those examples of God’s majesty when we are looking for comfort. Wherever we live, God is with us. Look to those beautiful signs to nourish and fill your hearts with the love, grace, and joy that comes from a relationship with God. On our darkest days, the signs are there to remind us that we are never alone.
Loving and Caring God, Thank You for loving us. Wow! We can’t fathom how You made our universe. We can only enjoy the benefits of experiencing the fruits of our creation. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen
Thought for the day: Today I will keep looking up for signs of God’s presence.
In the bulb, there is a flower! Pastor Liz