Psalm 43:3 (NRSV)
O send out your light and your truth; let them lead me; let them bring me to
your holy hill and to your dwelling.
Psalm 31:2 (NRSV)
You are indeed my rock and my fortress; for your namesake lead me and guide me.
Psalm 31:14,15a (NRSV)
But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, “You are my God.” My times are in your hand…
Devotion
The first thing I do in the morning is to take a mental inventory of things I need to accomplish during the day, or prepare for later in the week. While this practice has its purposes, there is no surer way to get the stress level up and make me pop out of bed. Even in semiretirement, the days and weeks seem full.
Psalm 43 is a prayer in time of trouble. The psalmist is praying for vindication from those who persecute him. At the same time, he recognizes that it is God’s light and truth that lead him towards the only truly safe refuge. Psalm 31 is a Psalm of David, praying for deliverance from enemies, and for guidance from the Lord. Even as he recounts all of the things distressing him, he adds that he trusts the Lord. In the Psalm it seems to me that in “my times” David is referring to the length of his life, but the passage makes me think about how I spend my time is also in the hands of the Lord.
Approaching life as a giant checklist leaves no room for recognizing God’s leadership and guiding hand. How much better to view the day’s activities as gifts from God to be accomplished with thanksgiving. The day suddenly seems less of a burden, and even a day that is full is centered on God. I’m not sure how many of my activities I could boot off my schedule, but by viewing a busy day as a gift, and thanking God as each activity is completed, the day would be transformed. It would feel as if the Lord were present in each activity, and the day itself would become a prayer.
Prayer
Holy Father, you are my rock and my fortress. Your love is steadfast and my times are indeed in your hand. For your lifelong guidance I give you thanks. Thank you for the tasks that I must complete today. Let me remember that these are gifts from you, help me to complete them as you would have me do. All these things I ask in the strong name of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior. Amen.
Debbie Leavens