Now Watch This

 

Blessed be the LORD,

for He has wondrously shown

   His steadfast love to me,

when I was in a besieged city.

I said in my alarm,

  "I am cut off from Your sight."

But You heard the voice

   of my pleas for mercy

when I cried to You for help.

             Psalm 31. 21-22

(Despair comes in all kinds

    of packages

    and unexpected situations.

But we are not cut off

   from His sight nor His might.

God hears.  God sees.

          God responds.

God specializes in

   those impossible situations

   when we are hemmed in

         on all sides by distress,

and it doesn't look like

    it is going to end well.

But we are not alone after all.

God brings His strength to us

     and His victory to it

in incredible ways

  when we are faithful to Him.

The ancient Hebrew says,

  "He has made marvelous

      His lovingkindness to me."

And God whispers,

            "Now watch this.")

O LORD,

It feels like we are besieged

       by this situation,

surrounded on all sides.

But the reality is that

   You are the one

    who surrounds us on all sides.

You are our refuge

    and send us forth strengthened.

Help us to turn to You

    and know You are with us.

And to realize

      we cannot do this by ourselves.

We need You.

Grant to us the courage

    to walk with You in this.

Order our thoughts.

Equip our souls.

Align our hearts with Yours.

Cover us by Your shield.

Let not fear

    --real or imagined--

             trip us up.

But to trust You

             even more.