Rebecca DePoe, Senior M.Div. Student at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary

Scripture

Psalm 121

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 for evermore.

Devotional

For me, Lent is often a season of anxiety, because Lent is often a time of discernment. Especially for those of us in ministry, Lent is usually the time where we discern whether God is calling us to stay in our current ministerial context, or if we might serve God more faithfully elsewhere. And this discernment produces anxiety because our decisions do not affect only us. They affect our families, our friends, and our communities of faith.

What I love about Psalm 121 is the Psalmist’s proclamation that God will protect us. “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 on and forevermore.” God’s protection is not just good news for today, but also good news forevermore! As we enter into this time of discernment, the Psalmist reminds us that we need not be anxious, because God promises to protect us. The assurance of God’s protection gives us the freedom to follow God’s call wherever it leads us without the crippling anxiety that often surrounds major life changes.

Prayer

God we rejoice in your assurance of protection. We pray that you would give us the courage to follow your call wherever it may lead, each and every day. We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Rebecca DePoe, Senior M.Div. Student at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary

Scripture

Psalm 121

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 for evermore.

Devotional

For me, Lent is often a season of anxiety, because Lent is often a time of discernment. Especially for those of us in ministry, Lent is usually the time where we discern whether God is calling us to stay in our current ministerial context, or if we might serve God more faithfully elsewhere. And this discernment produces anxiety because our decisions do not affect only us. They affect our families, our friends, and our communities of faith.

What I love about Psalm 121 is the Psalmist’s proclamation that God will protect us. “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 on and forevermore.” God’s protection is not just good news for today, but also good news forevermore! As we enter into this time of discernment, the Psalmist reminds us that we need not be anxious, because God promises to protect us. The assurance of God’s protection gives us the freedom to follow God’s call wherever it leads us without the crippling anxiety that often surrounds major life changes.

Prayer

God we rejoice in your assurance of protection. We pray that you would give us the courage to follow your call wherever it may lead, each and every day. We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.