Hello Gloria Dei,
“The Lord will watch over your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.” –Psalm 121:8.
Psalm 121 is one of my favorites. It is often listed in the category of Psalms called “Travelers or Sojourners Psalms”. Sometimes it is called a “Song of Ascent”. Jerusalem, sitting on a hill, required those visiting for certain festivals like Passover to travel uphill to get there. They “ascended” the mountain to get to the Jerusalem temple and would often sing these types of psalms as they traveled.
Lorrie and I, together with ten others, will be traveling over the next two weeks within the country of Norway. I affectionately refer to Norway as “The Other Holy Land”, as I’m Norwegian. It will be a delightful, educational and enjoyable time.
On trips like this I take the promises of Psalm 121 to heart. “The Lord is your Keeper.” “The Lord will not fall asleep.” “He will not let your foot be moved.”
Yet my favorite promise found within this short Psalm of only eight verses is the one I quoted at the beginning. “The Lord will watch over your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.”
This verse applies to our everyday lives, even as we leave the house in the morning and return in the evening. It also applies to our trips to the lake and our return trips back home. It applies to overseas adventures like our trip to Norway. Yet most of all, it applies to our whole lives. Wherever we go. Whatever we do. No matter what path we may be currently on or what path we will take in the future, we have the certain promise that God is sojourning with us, protecting and guiding us.
Yet, the promise goes even further. “Forevermore.” Our ultimate path and our ultimate destination is forevermore in heaven with God. And God, no matter what, through faith in Jesus, promises us that he will watch over our going out and coming in all the way into eternity. What a great promise. What a great God.
Read Psalm 121 today and often. God loves you and is with you, today and forever.
For worship this weekend we are in week two of “Four Weeks with Martin Luther”. In preparation, please read Romans chapter six.
See you in worship,
Pastor Tim
