Thoughts for the Day

* Armenian miniature book of Psalms.

O Lord, you have searched me and known me.
You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
you discern my thoughts from far away.
You search out my path and my lying down,
and are acquainted with all my ways.
Even before a word is on my tongue,
O Lord, you know it completely.
You hem me in, behind and before,
and lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
it is so high that I cannot attain it.

Where can I go from your spirit?
Or where can I flee from your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, you are there;
if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there.
If I take the wings of the morning
and settle at the farthest limits of the sea.

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

Like most people I have had scary moments and particularly difficult years - the months I spent in hospital on traction and then in a body cast (although the latter brought a humorous incident when on a train with a corridor, a man pushed by me and nearly broke his elbow on the plaster cast), and the years that my husband suffered with dementia come particularly to mind. But also there are odd incidents, like the time my car got stuck in water late one night after helping a parish with their children's work. I was in deserted countryside (and we didn't possess mobile phones) and I had to walk through the water down a pitch-dark road until I found a lone house with a bedroom light on - luckily they opened the door to my call and offered help. Oh and another scary incident occurred on a shore road in Cumbria when a huge wave of water and pebbles virtually drowned the car for what seemed like eternity, though was only a minute or two. Luckily I managed to avoid driving off the road and came out the other side.

Psalm 139 is one of my fall-back "prayers". Children can be terrified of the notion that God sees them at all times, and we should be careful of using it with youngsters, but for adults it can be comforting. God doesn't demolish all our problems, but is like a lighthouse protecting ships by guiding them away from rocks. He will help to steer us to safety; give us the strength to cope; the confidence to pick ourselves up; and the encouragement to keep going. But of course it does actually require us to ask for help and to involve God in our plans!

Heavenly Father,
You have taught us
that You know our thoughts and actions
almost before we know them and that
You are present throughout our life
to guide and encourage us,
May we never forget to turn to You
and to involve You in all that we do,
asking for your guidance and protection.
Amen.