Psalm 138

Psalm 138

I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart;

    before the “gods” I will sing your praise.

I will bow down toward your holy temple

    and will praise your name

    for your unfailing love and your faithfulness,

for you have so exalted your solemn decree

    that it surpasses your fame.

When I called, you answered me;

    you greatly emboldened me.

May all the kings of the earth praise you, Lord,

    when they hear what you have decreed.

May they sing of the ways of the Lord,

    for the glory of the Lord is great.

Though the Lord is exalted, he looks kindly on the lowly;

    though lofty, he sees them from afar.

Though I walk in the midst of trouble,

    you preserve my life.

You stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes;

    with your right hand you save me.

The Lord will vindicate me;

    your love, Lord, endures forever—

    do not abandon the works of your hands.

When I called out to Him, He answered me. He heard me and He saved me. 

As life resumes tomorrow, as students return to school, I pray that I always remember He walks beside me. I pray that I hold fast to His enduring love. 

Because He will never abandon me.

As a teacher right now, it is easy to feel like a frontline worker without the paychecks or the respect. It is easy to feel disrespected and misunderstood. Dare I say, it is easy to feel abandoned when we are expected to start and continue with school without the tools and resources we need.

But He will never abandon me.

And so tomorrow, I choose to dwell on His love. On sharing His love with my students and finally getting to teach and work with children again. I am choosing to rest in the comfort of His arms and trust in His leadership. 

I will not dwell in the negativity or in the fear. I will not choose worries. I will choose Him. And I pray that He sustains me and enables me to choose Him in every moment leading up to tomorrow as well as every second of the first day of school.

I pray to be filled with His enduring love and share this love with everyone.

I pray that in moments of worry and stress (for surely they will come) I will always call out to Him. 

Because He will answer me. He will answer me in love. He will never abandon me.

Jesus, let my heart sing your praises instead of the worries and doubts. May I always call out to you and abide your love instead of my fears.