In for the Long Haul

The God spoken of in most of Psalm 91 is powerful. God is able to marshal soldiers and angels to protect the people from outside threats. God is the one we call on to save the day.

As described in Psalm 23, God has another role to play in our lives besides that of invincible protector. The “thou” who has promised to be with us as we slog through the valley of the shadow of death is calm and constant. God shows up when we call out for help after declaring bankruptcy, filing for divorce, when a child has overdosed on drugs or a loved one has died. God’s territory includes the mortuary, the courtroom, the hospital and the church basement where AA/NA meetings are held. There are no quick fixes in these places. According to Psalm 23 and the last verses of Psalm 91, God waits it out with us until we feel better about ourselves and understand that we can call on God 24/7.

Lord, thank you for leading us through the dark corridors of pain and back into the light. Amen. — CKA