The Presence: 21 Day Devotional: Day 15

I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
Psalm 121:1-2  NIV

Psalm 121:1-8

As a child, I was often confused by the way words were used interchangeably in church settings. A “mountain” could be a positive experience, a place where God met you but it could also be a “mountain” in your way, a hurdle or obstacle you would plead God to remove. In my adulthood, these metaphors are more easily understood in their dual usage. We know the weight of each: the glorious lifting of one’s soul in personal encounters with God and the dreaded crushing of one’s soul when facing unsurmountable experiences. The truth of this Psalm is true in both these places. There is nowhere we can go without the presence of God. He is our ever-present Help when our mountain needs moving and our ever-present Source as we traverse any mountain.  

David finds himself looking up at the mountain ahead and finding assurance in the Lord, despite the unknowns. We, too, can look up, or better yet, within. There be His Presence: in us, around us, before us, behind us, and with us. The mountain ahead doesn’t have to be intimidating, despite the unknowns. Our help comes from the One who created the heavens and earth, who never sleeps, who knows you by name and has promised to watch over your coming and going. As we ready our hearts for time together in His presence, let’s look and search with intention, recognizing God’s helpful presence on every mountain, through every valley, and in the green pastures.