SCRIPTURE
Psalm 121:8 – The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in from this time on and forevermore.
In November 1992, some friends and I attended a great hockey game. My girlfriends and I attended all the home games, but this night was different as one of my friends brought along some coworkers and their friends. I have no idea how the Nashville Knights played that evening, but I know it was a great evening for another reason. What I remember is laying eyes on the cutest boy I had ever seen. He was quiet but seemed to enjoy the game. I tried to talk with him; I even tried to give him a stray kitten I had found a day or so earlier. He wasn’t interested in the cat, and he was so shy that conversation was a bit difficult especially in the atmosphere of a few thousand screaming fans. At the end of the game we all went our separate ways, and I was left with a memory of the boy with charming blue eyes.
A few nights went by before my friends and I returned to our favorite pastime at the arena, and to my delight, there he was! Apparently, that blue-eyed boy had enjoyed himself so much that he returned to sit with us and cheer for the home team. Again, I tried to give him the stray kitten and again, he declined, but at least we were talking. He joined us after the game for my girlfriend’s birthday celebration, and the conversations continued into the night.
He never asked for my phone number or even hinted that he would like to call on me some time, so imagine my surprise when my phone rang four evenings later. “I have something for you. Could I bring it by your house?” I only hesitated a moment before giving him the address. After a bit, I answered the doorbell and came face-to-face with those blue eyes … and a perfectly crafted home built for my stray kitten.
From the A-frame to the vinyl siding and wall-to-wall carpeting, everything was perfect. The details were immaculate, and even the tiny little door was framed. The creativity and craftsmanship reflected an understanding of what was needed. That tiny furball had worth, and she needed someone to provide for and protect her. Watching her coming and going, in and out, of that little door, I felt she knew this was more than a kind gesture. This was the beginning of something much bigger – a whole new life for both of us.
I kept the kitten and called her Abby. I kept the blue-eyed boy and ten months later called him husband. That little house stayed intact for more than 15 years; the marriage is still going strong – all because a home builder believed in doing good and took the time to create something beautiful.
The writer of Psalm 121 describes the Creator of heaven and earth as one who believes in our worth, keeps promises, and takes the time to build beautiful relationships with us. The Master Crafter is our keeper, provider, and protector – the one who will not sleep on the job and has a perfectly crafted home built for our eternal life. Each of us is assured that “The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in from this time on and forevermore.” The love that surrounds such a promise is more than a kind gesture; God’s love is the beginning of a whole new life.
As I move closer and closer to the cross in this Lenten season, may I constantly be reminded that the Builder of Life believes in me and continually takes the time to make me into something beautiful.
Faithfully built,
Pastor Beth
PRAYER FROM PSALM 121
Creator God, I lift up my eyes and wonder from where my help will come, but I know it always comes from you who made heaven and earth. You will not let my foot slip on my journey for you faithfully care for me – never sleeping, never resting, and always protecting my very life from evil. Thank you, Lord, for protecting me on my journey, whether going or coming, from now until forever from now. Amen.
