Be With Me, Lord

Deacon Tom Writes,

“Be With Me Lord”

First Sunday of Lent, Year C

“Be with me Lord, when I am in trouble”. These words are from Psalm 91 that carries the heading “Security Under God’s Protection”. That’s solid advice to help get us started on the right foot this holy season. “Be with us, Lord” through the days and nights that lie ahead; “Be with us, Lord” to face the struggles that life has in store. Protect us from all our fears and anxieties… Keep us safe; watch over us; lead us; help us…to navigate the uncertainties and challenges that await us.

Think about our own experiences when problems arise. We turn to God in our time of need. That’s not unusual. It’s a wise person that asks for help before it’s too late! Jesus is a wise man and we see that he has a deep trust and confidence in God. He turns to God to support and sustain him during his ordeal in the desert as he confronts Satan. Luke hints at the source of Jesus’ confidence by telling us that Jesus did not go into the desert alone. Luke says he had a companion… that Jesus, “… was filled with the Holy Spirit” who reminded him that he was not alone during his temptation. The Holy Spirit was there throughout Jesus’ ministry as he revealed the Kingdom of God to the people of Israel and beyond. Jesus knew he could depend upon God to “Be with him” not only during his troubles but also, as he taught his disciples, God is with us “always”.

Lent is a very holy time to enrich our spiritual lives by deepening our relationship with God, to spend time developing and strengthening that relationship, as Jesus did, so that we have the confidence to know that God is always present, always willing to help us during the hard and sorrowful times and also to share our joy on the good days. That God is really present, that he really cares for us…. loves us more than we love ourselves is so often hard for us to believe; yet, it is true.

We come to this understanding by placing our hearts and minds in the presence of God and asking him… “Be with me, Lord”… now and forever.

Enjoy the day!

Deacon Tom