I lift my eyes to the hills.
From where does 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.
Behold, He who keeps Israel
Will neither slumber nor sleep.
The LORD is your keeper,
The LORD is your shade on 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 forth and forevermore.
-Psalm 121(ESV), A Song of Ascents
My friend Erin slipped this verse into my hand before I left Kona almost ten months ago. In the dim of the Air New Zealand night flight, I peeled the dark blue card open . I smiled at her words, but when I looked up the verse, I wasn’t very impressed. I thought I was going to have some amazing WOW GOD YOU CONNECTED EVERYTHING moment. But it wasn’t. It was just that one chapter that I’ve known since I was a little girl… well, one that I always said was my favorite… well, that one chapter that speaks of God’s constancy despite traveling the world…
Well, looking back now, I needed to read that one Psalm that night above the Pacific clouds! And it’s one I need to read once more, as I look towards the international airport today, a hotel in Honolulu tonight, and a morning fly to my beloved Kona. To remember that God knows me individually and specifically, and He is with me all the way. It’s been a beautiful blur. But this I know, God has been faithful to me, even in these past few days in-between places… and I am so grateful to God. He WILL keep my going out and my coming in from this time forth, and forevermore. I like that. Amen.
Photo: our last meal in Kona before I hopped on the plane; Feb. 2012 🙂
