Behind Me
You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water.
I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory.
Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.
I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands.
I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you.
On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night.
Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.
I cling to you; your right hand upholds me. Psalm 63:1-8
Insight
I love watching my son's high school track and field meets. What I do not enjoy is the length of said meets, which are usually over four hours long. Yes, you read that right. I'm also not a huge fan of the cold, which made a recent meet miserable.
I grumbled at the cold as I sat in my camp chair facing the field, wrapped in a blanket. It was hard to focus on the events when all I could think about was getting home to a hot cup of tea.
Toward the end of the evening, I took a walk across the field to where my son's team was sitting. I climbed the bleachers toward them and chatted briefly with my son.
As I turned around to walk back, I drew in a breath. Directly over where I had been sitting (and grumbling) was the most beautiful purple and pink sunset layered over the deep blue sky. That spectacular sunset had been right behind me the whole time. My focus had only been in front of me, on what I could see.
I stood, dumbfounded. Something so breathtaking had escaped me because I was looking the wrong way!
I thought of how often I only focus on what I can see—my present circumstance. A frustrating day at work. Rain when the weatherman said sunny skies. All the annoyances of being human. I grumble and long for the fix - getting home to my comfort zone.
Yet behind me lies God's presence, provision, comfort, peace, and hope. In all my moments, good and bad, He is there - a reminder I need to keep at the forefront of my attention. He spreads wings over me. He warms me. His glory makes me catch my breath. I need to behold His beauty. God is for me and with me. He's patiently waiting for me to turn around.
Reflection
Where are you most prone to grumble about your circumstance?
How might things be different if you looked for God's presence instead?
Prayer
Father, I confess I don't always look for You when met with challenging situations and daily annoyances. I crave the solution to my discomfort when I should be craving Your presence. Help me know that You are there and care about every detail of my everyday life and show up in the ordinary with peace, love, joy, and patience. Help me express these qualities to those around me. Help me to pause today, turn around, and see You. Amen.
Port City writer Rebecca Flores wrote today's devotional.