travelling light (daily devotions for your elective)

Day 36: You Are My God

Psalm 63
You Are My God

My dental elective in 1998 was hard work but I loved it. I was working in a school for children living in the slum areas of Mexico City. As a dental student I was attached to the dental clinic, although I quickly realised that I was regarded as the on hand Medical Worker with responsibilities for all health care concerns from simple headaches to in-growing toenails! Two days into my elective and to my great apprehension I was told that I would be giving lessons on health care in Spanish. Having arrived without knowing a single word I struggled desperately to communicate with the children. With a mocked-up giant toothbrush in the form of a modified yard broom, I demonstrated the up and down motion of model tooth brushing technique.

‘Up and Cow! Up and Cow!’ I yelled out enthusiastically in my best ‘espanol’ to the great amusement of the children watching this strange ‘Dentista’.

It was a tremendous privilege, a lot of fun and I found myself facing new situations and challenges every day. Differences in culture intrigued me and I realised just how British I can be! To my surprise I discovered that I needed quiet time to myself too - moments of peace and reflection in a busy people-filled schedule.

Sometimes we just need to step away from the rush of activity and behold the Lord:

O God, You are my God,
earnestly I seek You (v1)
Because Your love is better than life (v3).

So often we are rushing from one thing to the next, never stopping to hold the moment and listen to God. Living life at 100mph, ‘Martha-ing’ it, rather than sitting at the feet of our Lord (Luke 10: 38 - 42). We can live trying to solve all the problems life flings at us, and achieving all those things we must get done, but perhaps we are missing the point? It is often when we feel utterly unable to cope that we finally remember to turn to the Lord. It is in these times that we can take heart from the truth of this psalm:

Because You are my help, I sing in the shadow of Your wings.
My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me. (vs7 - 8)

Perhaps it is then in our honest vulnerability that we stop, listen and look to our Lord.

Prayer
O God You are my God. In good times and bad, through the easier moments and the tougher times You are my God! I can trust in You to bring me through all my days until I am welcomed home. Amen.