Great Plains Daily Devotional for 10/21/2020

Psalm 90:1-6

Lord, you have been our dwelling place
    in all generations.
Before the mountains were brought forth,
    or ever you had formed the earth and the world,
    from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

You turn us back to dust,
    and say, “Turn back, you mortals.”
For a thousand years in your sight
    are like yesterday when it is past,
    or like a watch in the night.

You sweep them away; they are like a dream,
    like grass that is renewed in the morning;
in the morning it flourishes and is renewed;
    in the evening it fades and withers.

I was probably 16 or 17 years old when I stood amidst a stand of coniferous trees and looked down far below at the rushing White River. It was white, all right. Glacial runoff. When I looked up and straight across there was Mount Rainier. For me it was a holy moment. God was very present, as I basked in that glorious and amazing beauty. It was a time of being especially aware of the eternal nearness of this wonderful God.

The first six verses of Psalm 90 remind us that what seems like forever is not long in God’s time. COVID has gone on for so long!! The length of time blacks in this country have been used and abused is forever. How long have people called each other names in public? How long has all of this gone on and on?

Let’s think about it. The people of God were in Egypt for many generations. That was not a good situation. Then they wandered for 40 or so years. What about the days, the years they were in exile before being allowed to return home? How did they weather all those years?

During all of those times they reconnected with God's presence. Daily, as individuals and as a community, they opened their hearts and lives to God’s presence. God walked with them, and they were aware of and basked in that Holy Presence. God surrounded them individually and as a community with comfort and caring born of God’s great love for them.

Now would be an opportune time for us to allow this surrounding love to just hold us. As we allow this to happen, we will be able to continue with an openness and willingness to listen well each day in order to move to where God needs for us to be. We have a chance to impact this spinning, rotating, swirling mess in which we are living. Remember, as God’s children we really live in an everlasting dwelling place that has been since before the world was formed. Let us share that dwelling place with a world in dire need of the assurance that comes with living in God’s presence.

 

Prayer for Reflection

Exodus 33:12-23
Psalm 99
1 Thesselonians 1:1-10
Matthew 22:15-22