I am now in Seattle, WA! Last night I was sick from the altitude change, but a great night’s rest cleared that up quickly. When I finally sat up to see what my parents were marveling at, I was awestruck. This picture simply does not do it justice. In trying to find an appropriate verse to summarize my feelings about the sunrise, I ran into another bit of scripture along different lines.
Psalm 130: 5-6
“I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I have hope; my soul waits for the Lord more than the watchmen for the morning. More than the watchmen for the morning.”
In ancient Israel, the watchman would essentially be the first person to witness anything that happened outside the city walls. He would be the first response to danger, and this role required very long nightly shifts. Anyone who’s ever worked the night shift can attest to the fact that morning means relief. Morning meant daylight, and daylight meant most of the danger was at bay. So David is saying that he is watching for God as eagerly as someone weary from a long night shift watches for their relief.
The reason that this chapter was so interesting to me was actually the several chapters that come before and after it. Psalm 130 is one of the thirteen “Song of Ascents”. This series was a collection of songs that were regularly sung by the people of Israel as they journeyed up towards the temple mount. The psalms sung directly correlate to that journey. In their trek up the incline, they would sing continuously. By Psalm 130, the people would be nearing the end of their journey and would most likely have just landed eyes on the temple. The watchmen represented the people, and the morning was the refuge of our God.
For the last few weeks, it has felt like a never ending cycle of unpacking and repacking. Moving in and moving out. When I saw that mountain peak and the sun coming over the horizon, my heart did a flip. I am nearing the end of one journey and I can see the temple. Moving into a house only signifies the end of this specific adventure. Just as the people of Israel regularly went up and down the mountain, so will I be going up and down my own mountain over the next year. I am sure that there will be hiccups and discouragement. I am also sure that coming near to the presence of God will be so entirely worth it.
Until next time!
-Chessie
