Daily Devotion – November 15, 2021 – David Scherer

Psalm 91:9-16 (NRSV)

Because you have made the Lord your refuge, the Most High your dwelling place,

no evil shall befall you, no scourge come near your tent.

For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.

On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.

You will tread on the lion and the adder, the young lion and the serpent you will trample under foot.

Those who love me, I will deliver; I will protect those who know my name.

When they call to me, I will answer them; I will be with them in trouble, I will rescue them and honor them.

With long life I will satisfy them, and show them my salvation.

Devotion

One time one of our sons was having a nightmare and began crying in distress. My spouse quickly leapt to her feet from her dead sleep and ran into his room to comfort him with her calming presence. I apparently slept obliviously through the whole thing. Somehow my spouse’s ears have always been attentive to our children’s cries. No matter how noisy our environment, or how asleep she may be, she answers them immediately without hesitation. The good news for us is that our God is not a sleeping parent, snoozing away in the midst of our suffering, but a compassionate mother, awakening to hear our piercing cries and running to rescue us swiftly. Despite the distress expressed by the psalmist, they knew that when they called to God that God would answer. May all of God’s children crying out in distress today remember this promise of God’s faithful attentiveness.

Prayer

God of deliverance, protect us.
God of listening, hear us.
God of attentiveness, answer us.
God of rescue, be with us.
God of refuge, comfort us.
In the name of the One who is faithful we pray, Amen.