by Terry Tripp, CFDM Northwest Co-Director

I lift my eyes to the hills – from where will my help come?

My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber.

He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade at your right hand.

The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.

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 and for evermore.

Psalm 121

The view from my office window brought this Psalm to mind, as well as the thought that upon the beginning of each New Year, we re-up our intention to seek God in all that we do or ponder. That in some fashion we recognize that there is a new beginning and we get to start a fresh in our desire to search for and find God in the midst of all of life.  But how hard that can be if we are depending on ourselves to accomplish this “seeing”, this “paying attention”, this “intimacy” – that creates trust and beauty in relationship to God, ourselves, and others.

We can’t do it. This Psalm shouts, only God can do in us what is necessary for our well-being and bringing the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth.  Our freedom is found in trusting that God will do God’s will in us, for us, for the sake of His Kingdom.  What is our part?  Lift your eyes – your desire for God – right where you are, in whatever is going on; asking for help – for God to do in you only what God can do, not you.

I recently stepped into a new relationship that has brought beauty and hope in my life. Though as all relationships go (for me at least!), the initial sense of happiness and contentment has been added to by the nitty gritty of accepting and celebrating our differences. Human beings are notorious for seeking their own well-being. Or should I just say this is on me?! My prayer has been “wait patiently” for the Lord. For my help in stepping into a new life, a new year, a new reality is God at work in us to both will and do God’s pleasure. So, I once again give up control and only seeing life through my own experience and wiring, and receive everything from God necessary for my well-being.

Where does our help come from? From the Lord God; who neither sleeps nor slumbers, but is at work in every relationship and in every experience in this New Year, to form you for God’s Kingdom purposes. A blessed New Year and welcome to the ride of 2018.