Monday, February 15

Lifting my eyes to God our Father 

I will lift up my eyes to the hills from which cometh my help. My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. 

Psalm 121:1-2 

I have always had a love affair with mountains. They make me feel as if I am closer to my father in heaven. As a child visiting my grandparents, who lived in the foothills of the mountains, as a youth going to Bible camp (before Lutheridge at Lee Academy in Black Mountain), then to Lutheridge for Music Week, when we sang our praises to our Lord and Savior.

At each crisis in my life, it was “lift my eyes to the hills.” To walk and live in the mountains was to me like our Father, going away to the hills to be with his Father. He had to go away to the hills to pray, to refresh his communion with his Father. So did I.

Coming back to the foothills in later life, I still feel the need more so in “old age” to life my eyes to the hills from whence cometh my help. Since I can’t go to the hills for strength any more, then I turn to Matthew to remind myself that God is still here in the flat lands. The Gospel writer tells us not to worry, because our Heavenly Father still cares for us.

Moving to Trinity Oaks in the twilight of my life, I have really had to life my eyes and remind myself that God is in control in all I do. I ask for help from others. Thanks to God and my daughters and friends, I have found the strength to trust in God our Father for all He gives us. I ask for strength, just as Jesus asked for strength to go to the road to the cross.

Thanks be to God for life everlasting. Thanks be to God for Easter and the risen Lord. For life here and the hereafter. Thy name be praised forever and ever. Amen. 

Romania Cline 

Romania joined St. John’s in January.