A WORD FOR TODAY, December 29, 2020
Peggy Hoppes
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Blessings. Peg
A WORD FOR TODAY, December 29, 2020
“Preserve me, God, for I take refuge in you. My soul, you have said to Yahweh, ‘You are my Lord. Apart from you I have no good thing.’ As for the saints who are in the earth, they are the excellent ones in whom is all my delight. Their sorrows shall be multiplied who give gifts to another god. Their drink offerings of blood I will not offer, nor take their names on my lips. Yahweh assigned my portion and my cup. You made my lot secure. The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places. Yes, I have a good inheritance. I will bless Yahweh, who has given me counsel. Yes, my heart instructs me in the night seasons. I have set Yahweh always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my tongue rejoices. My body shall also dwell in safety. For you will not leave my soul in Sheol, neither will you allow your holy one to see corruption. You will show me the path of life. In your presence is fullness of joy. In your right hand there are pleasures forever more.” Psalm 16, WEB
You have probably seen a meme on the Internet that says something like, “I can’t wait to put 2020 behind me and experience the peace, joy and miracles of 2021.” These statements are very hopeful, and I join in the desire to step into a new year with new possibilities. This isn’t new; I have had friends that have been desperate to leave previous years behind because of tough times, and none of their problems ever came close to what we have experienced together this year. The thing is, their problems never ended with the dropping of the ball on New Year’s Eve. Perhaps we are always looking for peace in all the wrong places.
If you type the word “presence 2020” into your google machine, you will probably get a lot of hits that talk about digital presence. This has been especially important during this past year since we have had little opportunity to be present with others. This holiday season was particularly difficult for so many because they were unable to travel home or to loved ones as they had anticipated. Christmas gatherings were small, with immediate family or only a few friends. We were missing our daughter this year, and though she does not come home every Christmas, this one seemed harder than usual.
To make up for the lack of physical presence, many of us have taken to using the Internet to gather. Who hasn’t had a Zoom meeting sometime this year? The people in my husband’s office meet regularly via other online meeting formats. Bible studies have continued using these digital applications. Even churches are using Facebook Live and other living streaming options to provide congregations with weekly worship or devotion times. I am sure many families used these programs to spend time with loved ones; our daughter joined us when we opened presents and she ate breakfast with us.
It helped, but a digital presence is not enough. How many of you long to hug someone or shake their hand? Are you looking forward to meeting that friend for a long, lingering lunch at your favorite restaurant? Do you want to invite friends over for a dinner party? Is there an elderly relative in a nursing home you have been missing? We have been able to see people through the computer, but we are incredibly blessed by being in the physical presence of those we love.
There is a story about some mice that lived inside a piano. They were awestruck by the music they heard echoing in their dark world. They all believed in some unknown player, were comforted by the thought that someone made the music. They rejoiced over the Great Player they could not see. But one day one of the mice ventured to another part of the piano and found the strings. He came back thinking he knew how the music was made, for the music came from the strings as they trembled and vibrated. Everyone stopped believing in the Great Player. Later another mouse went exploring and found the hammers that made the strings vibrate and the simple explanation for the sound became more complicated but they still did not believe in the unknown player. Eventually the Great Player became nothing but a myth to the mice.
Isn’t that the way it is for many people in today’s world? We are like those mice, living in a world where we cannot see the One in control. Many in today’s world are seeking hope in a date on a calendar, but the reality is that it will take time for everything to return to some semblance of normal. The virus won’t disappear in a minute. The political, social, and cultural issues will not be solved overnight. We can hope that tomorrow will be better, but hope will disappoint if it is not founded in the One in whom we must trust. Faith is the only thing that will get us through the times of darkness. We have to rely on God, knowing that He is faithful, blameless and pure. He is present with us and everything we do we do only with His strength. Even when we cannot see the Great Player, He is playing the music of our lives. That’s what will get us through into the new year. The Psalmist knew that apart from God he had no good thing, that God alone was his refuge. He knew the joy and peace that comes from trusting in God rather than the things of this world. “You will show me the path of life. In your presence is fullness of joy. In your right hand there are pleasures forever more.” This is the lesson that will keep us through the hard times. Our hope is found in God. Let us have faith in Him because He is faithful to all His promises and will help us endure to the end.
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