“Perspective”

Despite all that’s been said, and all that’s written, all that been passed on to us, it’s easy to forget, as writer/theologian George MacDonald once wrote, that “affliction is but the shadow of God’s wing.” It’s easy to lose sight of the trees in an immense forest. That’s when we most need to remember that it was God who made the forest in the first place. But we forget don’t we? My goodness—yes. How quickly we forget. I think the problem is that we can’t see things from God’s perspective. Ultimately, we must remember who we are and—perhaps more importantly—whose we are. Rest in God’s holy presence. Remember to look up at the stars. There is where you will find the gift of perspective.

First Reading: Psalm 19:1-6—God’s Glory in Creation

¹ The heavens are telling the glory of God;
    and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.
² Day to day pours forth speech,
    and night to night declares knowledge.
³ There is no speech, nor are there words;
    their voice is not heard;
⁴ yet their voice goes out through all the earth,
    and their words to the end of the world.

In the heavens he has set a tent for the sun,
⁵ which comes out like a bridegroom from his wedding canopy,
    and like a strong man runs its course with joy.
⁶ Its rising is from the end of the heavens,
    and its circuit to the end of them;
    and nothing is hid from its heat.

Second Reading: Psalm 121—Assurance of God’s Protection

¹ I lift up my eyes to the hills—
    from where will my help come?
² My help comes from the Lord,
    who made heaven and earth.

³ He will not let your foot be moved;
    he who keeps you will not slumber.
⁴ He who keeps Israel
    will neither slumber nor sleep.

⁵ The Lord is your keeper;
    the Lord is your shade at your right hand.
⁶ The sun shall not strike you by day,
    nor the moon by night.

⁷ The Lord will keep you from all evil;
    he will keep your life.
⁸ The Lord will keep
    your going out and your coming in
    from this time on and forevermore.

Third Reading: Isaiah 40:9-11, 21-26

⁹ Get you up to a high mountain,
    O Zion, herald of good tidings;
lift up your voice with strength,
    O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings,
    lift it up, do not fear;
say to the cities of Judah,
    “Here is your God!”

¹⁰ See, the Lord God comes with might,
    and his arm rules for him;
his reward is with him,
    and his recompense before him.

¹¹ He will feed his flock like a shepherd;
    he will gather the lambs in his arms,
and carry them in his bosom,
²⁵ To whom then will you compare me,
    or who is my equal? says the Holy One.
²⁶ Lift up your eyes on high and see:
    Who created these?
He who brings out their host and numbers them,
    calling them all by name;
because he is great in strength,
    mighty in power,
    not one is missing.