Psalm 18:1-6 (CEB)

1 He said: I love you, Lord, my strength.
The Lord is my solid rock,
    my fortress, my rescuer.
My God is my rock—
I take refuge in him!—
        he’s my shield,
        my salvation’s strength,
        my place of safety.
Because he is praiseworthy,
    I cried out to the Lord,
    and I was saved from my enemies.
Death’s cords were wrapped around me;
    rivers of wickedness terrified me.
The cords of the grave surrounded me;
    death’s traps held me tight.
In my distress I cried out to the Lord;
    I called to my God for help.
God heard my voice from his temple;
    I called to him for help,
    and my call reached his ears.


Reflection

As I write this devotional on the evening of Mother’s Day, I cannot help but think about parenthood. Once a parent, always a parent. Perhaps the ultimate fear that humans understand is the fear that all parents have for the safety and wellbeing of their children. Whether we are caring for newborns in the small hours of morning, bandaging up kids as they learn to ride something, or offering hugs to the broken-hearted young adult, we soothe and support saying, “Here I am.” Nothing tugs at a parent’s heartstrings greater than the cries of their offspring, even if coming from young adults around the world. As we see our loved ones mature, we begin to understand the delicate balance of letting go. We may wince or silently hold our breath and pray as we see them riding off to navigate the world. 

So when we cry out in distress as God’s children, I imagine the ultimate love and concern that our Lord holds on our behalf.  Our God hears our cries. It isn’t for just when we fall that God comes rushing to soothe our cries or bandage our hearts. Surely like the forever parent, God’s love abounds endlessly. As human parents, we watch our kids mature and build independent lives. Yet as we grow and mature as God’s children, God is longing for our interdependence with connection to God’s self through the Holy Spirit. When we cry out, it is God reaching back to us saying, “Here I Am.”   So in our fear today and always, let us cry out in prayer and solitude. Let us listen for that still small voice that beckons us to interdependence with the Lord.

By Barbara Carlson


For Pondering & Prayer

Think about a younger you.  How have you matured in faith since recognizing that you were on a unique faith-filled journey with our Lord? In what ways do you long to still grow in faith?  Close your eyes and speak that prayer for interdependence aloud or in the silence of your heart to God.