May the Lord Guard Your Coming In and Your Going Out
Psalm 121
I lift up my eyes to the mountains – where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip- He who watches over you will not slumber;
Indeed, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
The LORD watches over you- the LORD is your shade at your right hand.
The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.
The LORD will keep you from all harm- He will watch over your life;
The LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
The LORD will watch over your coming in and going out both now and forevermore.
As we prepare to wrap up 2023 and head into a new year, we likely will look back at what has been and forward to what might come. We cheer the accomplishments and mourn the losses. We keep count of what matters and resolve to do better in the new year to come. We ponder those things that made us laugh and cry and those people whose presence made our year more memorable and meaningful, whether for good or for difficult. We grieve what was lost, or what could have been, but was not. The turn of the calendar is nostalgic and full of hope.
Yet, the change of date, turn of the page and setting of a new calendar year doesn’t change anything. God is constant. He doesn’t need a refresh. He isn’t moved by new starts or resolutions. He always was and always is and always will be.
The photo above shows scripture from Psalm 121. It was found embedded in a mosaic on the floor of an ancient 7th century church in Jerusalem. “May the LORD guard your coming in and your going out.” As the believers traversed the floor, it was a ready reminder of God’s protection and goodness.
What a sweet and powerful blessing to pray over those we love! As we come into 2024 and go out of 2023!
The Lord IS mighty and able to guard us in anything we might face. That’s such a comfort as we step into a new year, isn’t it? The word ‘guard’ in Hebrew is ‘samar’ and it means, “to keep watch, preserve, to hedge about, as with thorns, guard, protect, and attend to”. It’s more than just watchfulness, it’s an all-encompassing protection. When shepherds would care for their flocks, they would construct a hedge or barrier of thorns to keep the sheep safe from predators, especially those who lurked in the darkness. When the Lord guards out going out, He encompasses us on all sides with His powerful protection and His attentive watchfulness, ready to keep us from harm and from the enemy that would seek to destroy us. This world is dark, but our Lord is mighty to guard and protect.
He guards out going out (yasa). In Hebrew it means “to go, bring or lead out, both literally and figuratively. It can also mean to go abroad, send with a commandment, spread, go to and fro.” (2) You see, whether we step out with intention, of maybe we wander a bit, perhaps we receive orders or a call to go somewhere specifically or take a step into something new, God is guarding and guiding. He is good to go and be wherever we are. What a sweet assurance and comforting blessing! No matter where our sons or daughters go…or are sent, our God is with them. We can rest knowing He’s there, even when we cannot be.
God guards our coming in, our ‘bo’ in Hebrew. Bo means “to come, call, carry, enter, fetch, follow, pull in, grant, lead, or send.” God may bring us in willingly, or maybe we are kicking and screaming…either way, our Father is present and active. He grants us entrance into so many things: a new season, a new year, and new opportunities to learn and grow. We may be called, led, carried or pulled, but God is right there. Our going out and our coming in are all in His hands, and we are assured He will guard every step.
The amazing thing is that God’s guarding is not dependent on clock or calendar, nor on our willingness or submission. God is not limited by those things that limit us. He guards both now, right at this present moment and forevermore for all eternity, time without end. Always. Ever. Without fail.
“May the LORD guard your coming in and your going out.”
As we get ready to step into 2024, we don’t know what the year may hold, but it’s certain that some will have great joys and others, deep sorrow. Some may be waiting, and the new year will be a time of expectant hope. Some will recognize blessings overflowing while others may have abundant blessings, yet not recognize them for what they are. There may be peace and joy or pain and longing. But there is one constant of which we can be assured. The Great I AM. Jehovah- the Existing One. Our God is steady and unchanging. Though the calendar may change, and the weeks and months fly by, God remains ever present and watchful, always providing and protecting. Nothing surprises Him or catches Him off guard. There is nothing out of His reach or too strong for His mighty hand and outstretched arm to overcome. Long before December 31, 2023, arrived, He knew what the day would hold and the year leading up to it. And when we wake to see His new creation of January 1, 2024, we can know we are watching God fulfill His plan, set in motion before the world began, for that good day.
Psalm 73:26 “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”
The calendar shouldn’t determine how we approach the next day or the next year, God is our portion forever. Forever! Though a new year will bring something new, our God is the Ancient of Days. The LORD will watch over our coming in and our going out both now and forevermore. Forevermore!! Change is inevitable, but our Lord is unchanging and always present. He is good and we can trust Him to work and do what is for our good and His glory. Let’s not look to the ‘ball’ that drops as the sign that a new year will bring hope and good change. Let’s look to the Lord who stands, ever present and strong.
“My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip- He who watches over you will not slumber; Indeed, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD watches over you- the LORD is your shade at your right hand- The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will keep you from all harm- He will watch over your life; The LORD will watch over your coming in and going out both now and forevermore.” Psalm 121
Today, let’s pray for our loved ones as we welcome the new year. Pray that what is behind doesn’t define or derail them. Pray that what is ahead is powerfully held in the mighty hands of the Father and that they trust His strong grip on their life. Pray that they look to the Lord for their strength and hope. Pray that the Lord would watch over their going out of 2023 and their coming into 2024 and would keep them ever pursuing Him, following His steps carefully and listening to His voice attentively, a sheep of His pasture, eager to be His child, surrounded by His watchful care.
“May the LORD guard your coming in and your going out.”
What a generous blessing to pray over our loved ones!!
Pray without ceasing.
1. H8104 - šāmar - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (kjv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h8104/kjv/wlc/0-1/
2. H3318 - yāṣā' - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (kjv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h3318/kjv/wlc/0-1/
3. H935 - bô' - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (kjv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h935/kjv/wlc/0-1/
How to Pray When Our Sons and Daughters Reach a Crossroads, Part 2
This is what the Lord says:“Stand at the crossroads and look (see); ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.’
We began part one of “How to Pray When Our Sons and Daughters Reach a Crossroads” by looking at the words “Stand” and “Look” to really understand what God was calling the Israelites (and us) to do when faced with a decision of life, direction and conviction. They were not to wander, to sit or to linger but God said, “Stand” which in Hebrew meant to set firmly, take a stand, be still and endure (1). But they were not only to stand, they were to stand and “looK”. While they stood firm and endured, they were to see, perceive, consider and discern (2). They were to actively do the looking, they were to look for something specific and God would be (should be) the One prompting them to take the action of looking, no one or nothing else should be their motivation. But then what?
Well, as we might say, “Don’t just stand there!” God says, “ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is”. The word “ask” is the word “saal” in Hebrew and it means “ to inquire; by implication, to request; by extension, to demand.” (3) To saal is to ask with purpose and even a sense of urgency. It’s not a casual inquiry, but an intentional seeking of answers and information. Can you see the importance here? God is telling us we need to stand with purpose, look and then ask with urgency for the ancient paths. It’s important. It’s vital.
So, what are the ancient paths? Are we supposed to look for antiquated ways of doing things? No, not at all. That word “ancient” is the word “olam” and it means “enduring, perpetual, time out of mind, both past and future.”(4) God is telling us to look for the eternal ways, HIS ways, which are often concealed and hard to see, especially by those who do not walk with the Lord. But if we walk with the Lord, He will reveal them to us (remember, the word “look” has a causative nature… which means something or someone prompts us to do the looking… in this case, it’s God, calling us and causing us to look for and understand His ways.
Daniel 2:20-22 ““Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness and light dwells with him.”
God wants us to look for and pursue His ways (derek), not just any way. The word “derek” means way, but it also means “direction,habit, course of life and moral character.” (5) The ‘way’ God wants us to walk encompasses all of us (our being) and our direction. It is the way that isn’t seen with physical eyes but discerned with spiritual insight granted by God.
But here’s the thing, He doesn’t want us to just identify it by looking, He calls us to walk in it. When God calls us to walk (yalak), He calls us to “walk (literally or figuratively); to carry; bear, bring, depart, follow, grow, prosper, pursue, cause to run.”(5) Isn’t that such a picture of our Christian walk with the Lord?! We are to walk, follow, grow, prosper and pursue Him. We are to bring our burdens, bear our cross and depart the life of sin to walk in obedience to Him. All of that wrapped up in the simple, but not so simple word ‘yalak’ or walk.
1 John 1:7 “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.”
2 Peter 3:18 “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and forever! Amen.”
God promises us that if we do these things we “will find rest for our souls”. Oh, friend, isn’t that what we long for? Rest for our souls. A spiritual rest, a relief from the oppression of sin, a balm for the pain and heartache of this life. Rest. “Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him.” Psalm 62:1
But the warning stands from Proverbs 21:16 “Whoever strays from the path of prudence comes to rest in the company of the dead.” It matters which path you choose and that choice determines where you will find your rest and in whose company you will be.
Jeremiah 6:16 doesn’t stop there, though. There is a final statement in the verse that is jarring. God told all of these things to the Israelites. But their response was, “We will not walk in it.” Think about that. God showed them. He called them. He gave them clear direction and a promise of rest. Yet they rejected it. They rejected Him. They made a willful decision to turn from God. How they were blinded!!
Proverbs 14:12 “There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.”
As our sons and daughters are at the crossroads, there is so much to bring to the Lord. Oh, there is promise of great things, direction, protection, growth, rest…but there is great danger as well and we can’t ignore that. The enemy wants nothing more than to blind this next generation so they cannot see and so they will not follow. He does not want them to find rest for their souls. We need to be on our knees daily asking God to intervene and protect, to open eyes and guide steps. Let’s do that now…and pray without ceasing.
“Father, You are good and what You do is good (Ps 119:68). You show us right paths and call us to walk in them. You desire good for us and Your word says “The desire of the righteous ends only in good, but the hope of the wicked only in wrath. (Pr. 11:23) I pray that (name) would pursue righteousness so that their desires would be good and wholesome and that their heart would long after You. Lord, help (name) to pursue Biblical knowledge that will guide their steps so they won’t be a living example of Proverbs 19:2 “Desire without knowledge is not good - how much more will hasty feet miss the way!” Lord, help them not to have hasty feet, but let them stand at the crossroads and be resolute in their conviction to follow You. Let them have clear, right spiritual discretion so they will be able to spot evil and avoid it. Let them not be deceived by the enemy or led astray by things and people who are ungodly.”
“Lord, God, I pray that You would open (name)’s eyes and show them Your path. Enable them to see the eternal way that leads to life and rest. Give them strength to walk in it. Motivate (name) to consistently ask where the good way is and pursue it with all of their heart, soul, mind, and strength. I pray that (name) would walk with You unwaveringly. Father, protect (name)’s steps. Guard (name)’s heart. Keep (name)’s eyes always seeing clearly with correct spiritual discernment and never, never let them refuse to walk in the way You set before them. Lord, help them to be faithful and eager to follow You. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
Pray without ceasing.
H5975 - ʿāmaḏ - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h5975/niv/wlc/0-1/
H7200 - rā'â - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h7200/niv/wlc/0-1/
H7592 - šā'al - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h7592/niv/wlc/0-1/
H5956 - ʿālam - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h5956/niv/wlc/0-1/
H1870 - dereḵ - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h1870/niv/wlc/0-1/
H3212 - yālaḵ - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h3212/niv/wlc/0-1/