"I lift up my eyes to the hills; from where is my help to come? My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth."
Psalm 121:1–2
When we read Psalm 121, the psalmist seems to be writing while on a journey. In our endeavor to do the right thing, to follow the advice of public health professionals, and to stay home and slow the spread of the pandemic during this time, we are all on a journey. Together we are on a common path through a time of questions that cannot be adequately answered with a destination and end point that is unclear. We don’t know how long this road is.
As we “lift up our eyes to the hills” to the increasing numbers of those who are ill or exposed to COVID-19 and to friends or loved ones getting sick, from where is our help to come? The psalmist tells us our help comes from the Lord. We must trust the advice from public health officials and follow their directions to stop the spread of the virus. And for our strength to do what we need to do (even when we’re tired, frustrated or would rather be doing something else) and for the strength of those working in so many ways to keep us all going, we look to the Lord, the maker of
all
creation, who provides us with the strength we need for the journey ahead.
In this holiest of weeks in our church calendar, I invite you to reflect on the Lord’s own journey, his willingness to face the reality of his circumstances, trusting God with what will happen. May it be a source of strength and hope as we seek to do the same in our common path.
A prayer for today:
Keep watch, dear Lord, with those who work, or watch, or weep this night, and give your angels charge over those who sleep. Tend the sick, Lord Christ; give rest to the weary, bless the dying, soothe the suffering, pity the afflicted, shield the joyous; and all for your love's sake. Amen.
(Prayer taken from
The Book of Common Prayer
, page 134)
The Rev. Lisa R. Neilson
Associate for Pastoral Care and Women's Ministries
