Traveling Mercies

Psalm 121:1-8
A Song of Ascents.

I lift up my eyes to the hills.
From where does 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] Behold, he who keeps Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
[5] The Lord is your keeper;
the Lord is your shade on 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 forth and forevermore.

As many of you know, I’m about to take a long trip. For the first time in my life I’m going to leave the borders of North America. I’m going to a country that was once our country’s greatest adversary. My purpose for going is my Dad’s business. He has people there He wants to invite into our family.

I would be dishonest if I didn’t admit that every once in a while I feel some apprehension. For example, I don’t particularly like to fly. This trip requires that I spend almost two entire days on an airplane. My prayer life always radically improves when I fly!

I found great comfort and assurance in this morning’s Psalms. As is my habit on the first day of the month, I read Psalm 1,31,61,91 and 121. The last four Psalms happen to major on the theme of God’s protection. I found verse 8 of Psalm 121 particularly comforting. “The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.”

This verse goes beyond guaranteeing traveling mercies. Someday it will be time for me to make the journey from this world to the next. In fact, that day is already on God’s calendar. This verse promises that the He will see to it that I safely reach my destination!