I've been pondering Psalm 124 the past few days.
Had it not been the Lord who was on our side,
Let Israel now say,
2 Had it not been the Lord who was on our side
When men rose up against us,
3 Then they would have swallowed us alive,
When their anger was kindled against us;
4 Then the waters would have engulfed us,
The stream would have swept over our soul;
5 Then the raging waters would have swept over our soul.”
6 Blessed be the Lord,
Who has not given us to be torn by their teeth.
7 Our soul has escaped as a bird out of the snare of the trapper;
The snare is broken and we have escaped.
8 Our help is in the name of the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth.
How many times I have believed, like Israel, that God had forsaken me. That the waters have indeed engulfed me. Today, I am reminded to look at the moments in between. The ones amidst despair that bring hope, joy and love. Moments of freedom and grace.
I'm reminded of victory. There is a day coming where today, however grave, will be in the past and God's victory will be known wholly.
God has not forsaken me. For if He did, I would not be here today. I would not have made it through life up to now. I am reminded of the times God has rescued me. The many times he has brought peace and comfort in sadness, friends and community in loneliness, listening ears when my heart needed them most, hope in despair, strength in my weakness, and love — love that even tells me when I'm wrong.
Lord, thank you for rescuing me. Thank you for rescuing your children. You are with us even when we believe we have been engulfed by raging waters. Later, we will be able to stand back in praise and realize you somehow parted the waters.
How has the Lord parted the waters for you recently?
What do you need to be rescued from?
*Photo taken in Catalina, Summer 2012