When I am overwhelmed,
you alone know the way I should turn. Psalm 143:2a NLT
Let's be honest, last year (and the year before, and the year before, and the year before) were hard. Since the beginning of the global pandemic, nearly 6 million humans have lost their lives, and the number keeps growing. Do I get a shot or don't I? Do I wear a mask or don't I? Do I gather with family and friends or don't I?
Families struggle to survive on meager incomes. A division between those who have and those who do not continues to grow. While some visit outer space for million-dollar joy rides, others lose their homes and apartments, sleep on the streets or on relatives' couches, and stand in lines waiting for food. Shortages of basic necessities and rising costs make simple purchases hard decisions.
The political divide is deeper than it has been in generations. It seems that civil war is a real possibility. An opinion one way or another can lead to the silence treatment at the least and actual threat of violence at worst.
Black lives matter. Blue Lives Matter. All lives matter.
Human trafficking. Global Migration.
Social isolation. Depression.
Overwhelming? Absolutely. Without and answer? Certainly not.
David knew what it was like to be put in a corner. He understood what it meant to face an overturned life. Psalm 142 is written about his experience when he was pinned in a cave and his accuser, the man who wanted to end his life, was at the mouth of that cave. The threat was never more real. His companions encouraged him to fight. They egged him on to take action. They suggested that he stand his ground. But instead, David chose another route. He gave it to God. "You alone..." We don't know what tomorrow will bring, but God alone does. We don't have the answers for the chaos that swirls ever more violently around us, but God alone does.
As we enter the new year, I'm trusting that this prayer will remain on my lips, in my heart, at the core of my spirit, "God, You alone."
There really isn't anything more to say, is there?