(Psalm 121:1-8 ESV) 1 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.
June 4, 1926 William Robert Baker, Sr. was born. He would have celebrated his 90th year today. He lived a great life; was a great man. Happy Birthday in Heaven Dad!
I’ve included one of my prized possessions for your viewing pleasure. The picture above is a key that I’ve kept to remind me of a couple of things.
A few years ago, my mother was diagnosed with Alzheimers disease. It is a cruel disease that plays no favorites. One time while visiting my parents in Cleveland, TN my father pulled me aside and asked if I would take him to the hardware store. When we arrived at the store, he went straight to the kiosk where they made keys. After selecting the key (pictured above) he asked the attendant to cut it to match his house key. On the way back to the house, he explained that my mother was having a difficult time recognizing her keys, and he hoped that by having a key marked “home” she could identify it more easily. His loving care for my mother was evident and it impacted me deeply. Every time I see the key, I’m reminded of how much my father loved my mother. He was committed to keeping her safe.
Psalm 121 describes the loving care of our Heavenly Father. Take a moment and read it again. Slowly. Do you see it? Count the number of times you see the word “keep.”
- He who keeps you will not slumber.
- He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
- The LORD is your keeper;
- The LORD will keep you from all evil;
- He will keep your life.
- The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.
6 times we are told of the keeping power of the Lord. Just as my father kept my mother, the Lord is committed to keeping you!
The key reminds me of another thing. It reminds me that the primary goal of the Christian is to make it “home.” We are just pilgrims passing through! One of the most common ways to express that someone has died is to say, “I lost my…. (Dad, mom, spouse, child, etc.). I can’t say that because I know exactly where my parents are. They are absent from the body but present with the Lord. They’ve made it home.
Just like my dad wanted my mother to make it “home” safely, our Heavenly Father is anxiously awaiting our arrival in Heaven. Scripture reminds us, “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.” (Psalm 116:15 ESV)
The key? Jesus. He is THE KEY…
PRAYER: Lead me home, Father. Thank you for your loving care. For keeping me. For guiding me HOME! I’ve got my key… Amen.
Thinking Out Loud 