Claim This Promise No Matter What Your Journey Is #lifegivingwords

“The Lord himself watches over you!” (Psalm 121:5a)

Summer in Atlanta can be unbearable with temperatures in the upper 90s and humidity just as high. The air is so thick it feels like an elephant is sitting on your chest with each breath. Sweat pours off in rivers without any exertion. Days like these require that anyone spending any time outdoors take steps to protect themselves from the heat. Plenty of water, sunscreen, and a hat are musts. Without protection in the heat, you can die.

The Psalms of Ascent are a collection of Psalms sung by Israelite pilgrims as they journeyed to Jerusalem for the annual festivals. Jerusalem is located on the highest point in the area, so no matter where they traveled from, they were always ascending. Many of the pilgrims would journey for days, some for weeks if they were coming from distant lands after the time of captivity and dispersal. They would travel through difficult desert terrain, exposed and vulnerable to the scorching sun, plummeting night temperatures, and possibility of harm from robbers. Without protection, death was a real threat.

Psalm 121 is a promise claimed. As the pilgrims would travel they would look up, toward to Jerusalem, toward the heavens and claim Almighty God as their protector. Unlike the gods of the pagan nations, they knew their Almighty God never slept. The Israelites could be assured of God’s constant presence. The pilgrims to Jerusalem knew the risks of the journey, but they went anyway, secure in the knowledge they were embraced and protected by God.

As God’s chosen beloved through Jesus Christ, this is a claim we need to grab and hold on to with both fists today. We too are pilgrims, always on the journey of living life with Christ in us. Daily, we will encounter rough terrain. We will know what it means to be exposed and vulnerable to the harsh words and actions of others. Most of us will probably never experience physical danger on our journey with Christ, but we will certainly experience emotional, mental, and spiritual danger. Without proper protection, we will experience death.

No matter what our journey holds, this Psalm reminds us to look up to Jesus on the cross. Through Him, we are enveloped into the protective embrace of God. We are assured that the Lord watches over us and that we are never left alone

What journey are you on today that is difficult? Write it down and identify it specifically. Then, write your own Psalm 121. Look Up. Claim the promise that the Lord watches over you in your situation. No matter what your journey holds, step with bold confidence that you are never out of sight, never alone, and fully protected.

#lifegivingwords

#LivingHoly