March 24, 2016

TO WHOM DO I LOOK?

Wisdom of Sirach 34:15-17 LXX

Blessed is the soul of a man who fears the Lord.
To whom does he look? And who is his support?
The eyes of the Lord are upon those who love Him.
He is a powerful protection and a strong support:
A shelter from the burning heat,
A shelter from the noonday sun,
A guard from stumbling,
And help from a fall.
He raises up the soul
And gives light to the eyes.
He gives healing, life, and blessing.

Encouraging Words

One of the results of living a 60+ year life is having seen, and sometimes put into practice, a broad range of sheltering methods. Growing up in the Cold War era I remember the bomb drills and scurrying under my desk at school as well as the advertisements for backyard bomb shelters. As a Boy Scout in my youth and later as a Scoutmaster I remember learning how to seek shelter and practiced the application of it while getting caught in the mountains while backpacking. There was the earthquake preparedness in California and standing in doorways while waiting for the shaking to stop. There was shelter planning in Thailand for tsunamis and now tornado preparedness in Ohio. But none of this comes close to the shelter that our Lord provides to His children. It is provided through unending, unconditional love, and guards us through any issue, whether physical, emotional, or atomic bomb could ever be. And it is provided to me and everyone else, freely and with love and mercy. Glory be to God!