Steep and Scary Places

 

To You

I lift up my eyes,

O You who are

enthroned in the heavens.

          Psalm 123. 1

(This verse is again

one of the

    psalms of ascent

that the pilgrims sang

as they walked through

the steep and scary

        and weary places.

They sang to remind themselves

  to lift up their eyes

  from the rocky trail

and look to God.

It is never a matter of

  ignoring the situation

or trying to get out of

  hard circumstances,

but responding by

         looking to God

   Who can help us.

We are not in this alone,

but far too often,

   we live that way.

But God gives us

not necessarily an exit door

        nor an easier route,

but His strength and wisdom

     and a new heart

     to walk through it.)

O LORD,

This hard trail seems

  to go on forever.

Help us to turn to You

  for Your strength

  and energy

  and even joy in this.

Empower us to know

that there is something

   far deeper going on.

Form in us, O God,

  Your strength,

not just to carry on,

but to bless You in this

and bless others

       along the way.

You are our help.

You are our God.

You walk with us.

 May we walk with You.