Of rocks and vigilance

This was my father's favourite psalm. I feel that he is close at the moment, really watching over me and I have been reading this psalm every day. These are such beautiful words of connection to nature and of complete trust. It doesn't matter what creed you follow, these are comforting and strengthening words. I think of my father in the last months of his life, and how these words were a safe-haven for him.

I love the image of feet not slipping, as I have such bad balance, I can barely keep my balance on a bike... famously falling off my bike in front of the school inspector walking his dog in our neighborhood.

I love the imagine of looking to the hills, God as a rock, eternal and ever-present and I love that my name derives from Stephen, meaning rock.

The most meaningful actual rock in my life is Table Mountain. I had a wonderful realisation a few years ago about how much it meant to me growing up in its shadow. I have been through so much, and the mountain is a solid presence.

I am a lover of rocks and collect them, I don't know much about them, although I am attempting to be an amateur geologist. I love them for their aesthetic value, for their color, shape, feel and beauty. I often walk around with a dead normal stone in my pocket, to ground me and remind me that even those things that seem permanent also change, it is just a matter of time. I love the way geologists have the capacity to think in thousands and millions of years. It really makes us seem so trivial and truly puts things in perspective.

I love the image of God not resting, but constantly watching over us, like a mother sitting by the bed of a sick child, being ever vigilant and aware of the child's every move and breath.

The man has been ill recently and I spent a night wth him, lying awake and listening to his breathing, switching on my all senses and intuition to what I could do to support and comfort, praying for his peace in the night. Being so relieved when I could tell that he was sleeping deeply.  It is so incredible to know that God does that for us every minute of every day into eternity in his all-encompassing capacity.

Living in the desert, I also love the idea of being protected from the sun; God being the shade to rest in, an oasis, not letting any harm come to us.

It is called a psalm of ascents, as this are one of the songs that the people used to sing as they ascended to Jerusalem to praise and worship.

I wish that we may all rest assured that we are protected and watched over, and sleep in peace tonight in that knowledge. Amen.

I lift up my eyes to the hills-

Where does my help come from?

My help comes from the Lord,

the Maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot slip-

He who watches over you will not slumber:

indeed, he who watches over Israel

Will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord watches over you-

The Lord is your shade at your right hand;

the sun will not harm you by day,

nor the moon by night.

The Lord will keep you from all harm-

he will watch over your life;

the Lord will watch over your coming and going

both now and forever.

Psalm 121

 A song of ascents