Thoughts for the Day

I lift up my eyes to the hills—
from where will my help come?
My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot be moved;
he who keeps you will not slumber.
He who keeps Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord is your keeper;
the Lord is your shade at your right hand.
The sun shall not strike you by day,
nor the moon by night.

The Lord will keep you from all evil;
he will keep your life.
The Lord will keep
your going out and your coming in
from this time on and for evermore.

(Church in Wales Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

From just before my eighteenth birthday until I was about sixdty-five I was accustomed to seeing my husband Adrian switching sides as we walked along a pavement, to walk on the outside, closest to the traffic. He had been brought up to protect a woman - a habit traditionally from long ago when men would have worn a sword on their left hip and drawn it with their right hand to protect a woman on their left. Feminists in the 70s and 80s were against men opening doors for woman or giving up their seats on a train or bus, but I rather liked having someone who wished to keep me safe.

After about 47 years of marriage though I found myself having to move to his right when we walked towards the sea with our dogs, because his dementia was really taking hold. He simply didn't hear the cars and would suddenly walk in the middle of the road if something attracted his attention. So I became his protector, though he had no idea why I insisted he stood on my left nearest to the hedge as we walked the narrow lane to the sea.

Psalm 121 is another of those Songours of Ascent that the pilgrims sang as they ascended the hill to Jerusalem heading to the Temple in Jerusalem. It reminds us that God is our helper and our keeper (or protector) and that he is with us always to the end of time and for ever more.

Almighty God,
You are our protector and guide,
always at our side ready to help us
when we are in need.
Let us never forget
that You are always there,
and may we remember to
ask for Your intervention
when we need help.
Amen.