My Help Comes From The Lord

Don't you love driving in the mountains? There is something majestic about terrain that is not, well, Illinois flat. Whether driving through the Rockies, Smokies, or our more hill-shaped Ozarks, there is always beauty to behold. On the other hand, a trip through hilly mountainous terrain on foot may not be as fun. For many of the Hebrews, the trip from their hometown to Jerusalem took them through hills and even some small mountains. Rather than seeing beauty, they noticed danger. Hooligans and marauders were in those hills. There were some dangerous animals, and definitely some difficult walking with risk of injury. When the Psalmist says, "I lift my eyes to the hills," he is genuinely concerned about the dangers that lie ahead and wondering where help might be found. Yet, He quickly remembers Jehovah, the God who sees their journey and will protect them along the way. Our Psalm of Ascent this morning, Psalm 121, is a great song of hope for the journey, a reminder that the God we serve doesn't take naps or have days off. Rather, our God is sovereign and purposeful, and will use the hills in life to shape us deeply.