Being With

I lift up my eyes to the mountains:
from where shall come my help?
My help shall come from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.

He will keep your foot from stumbling.
Your guard will never slumber.
No, he sleeps not nor slumbers,
Israel’s guard.

The Lord your guard, the Lord your shade
at your right hand.
By day the sun shall not smite you,
nor the moon in the night.

The Lord will guard you from evil;
he will guard your soul.
The Lord will guard your going and coming,
both now and forever.

Psalm 121

As I read this psalm from today’s morning prayer, peace filled my heart. At first glance, I am not sure why. Despite the promises of protection from evil, plenty of evil and suffering weave in and out of life: mine, my friends’, every one in the world. Just turn on the news or listen to conversations. People are hurting. So, what happened to the Great Protector?

Praying with this psalm, I experienced a deep sense of God’s “being with.” In the midst of our illness and suffering, in the midst of war, drought, and famine, God is with us. In a sense, that seems small comfort. Certainly not the protective bubble we would prefer. Who would not like to keep those they love from suffering?

Yet, the words were deeply comforting. Facing our very human existence in a profoundly flawed world is more possible when we are not alone.

Who shares the Holy One’s love and compassion with you? How do you share Love’s Presence with others?

God will guard our souls, the psalm says. Our being, our center where the Holy One dwells. Somehow, despite physical and mental afflictions that still visit us, I find courage and hope in that truth