Rockets and Mountains

Psalm 121

 ¹ I lift up my eyes to the hills—
       where does my help come from?

 ² My help comes from the LORD, 
       the Maker of heaven and earth.

 ³ He will not let your foot slip— 
       he who watches over you will not slumber;

 ⁴ indeed, he who watches over Israel 
       will neither slumber nor sleep.

 ⁵ The LORD watches over you— 
       the LORD is your shade at your right hand;

 ⁶ the sun will not harm you by day, 
       nor the moon by night.

 ⁷ The LORD will keep you from all harm— 
       he will watch over your life;

 ⁸ the LORD will watch over your coming and going 
       both now and forevermore.

I was about to leave my in-laws, facing a 13-hour marathon drive through the towns of Nothing and Desolate, when I checked my email one last time. There was a one-liner from dh.

“In case you hear anything on the news, I’m okay.”

That was it.

Just last week he’d said he was itching for another trip off the base he’s stationed at. I said, “No way. I like you just where you are, safe and sound and away from convoys.”

His response: “Well if that’s what you want to think.”

Sunday night, that little dream received a decisive blow in the form of a rocket landing yards from where my husband lay sleeping.

He called while I was in No-Man’s-Land (amazing I had a signal for as long as I did!) to let me know just how close the explosion was. I felt the shudder of that rocket through my own body as he explained that not only was this not the first one, it was not the closest call either.

40 days until his return. 40 days. Oh Lord, can You watch over him for just 40 more days?

Today I came across Psalm 121 on four separate occasions. Each time, only a portion was quoted. Tonight I decided it was time to return to the entire psalm because apparently God had something for me there.

“I lift my eyes to the hills – where does my help come from?”

Dh is currently stationed in a basin surrounded by mountains. Huge, majestic, snow-covered mountains. He LOVES the mountains. He is usually deployed to beaches, which drives both of us crazy, because I’m the beach-lover. Now he gets his dose of mountains, and what a good reminder they serve – our Helper is even greater, even more majestic, protective, powerful, and immovable, than the craggy mountains that surround his tent.

I could hardly keep from crying as I read. “He will neither slumber nor sleep… He will guard you from harm…” My husband was fast asleep. I was not being diligent in my prayers for his safety (not lately with all the other distractions!). But God was wide awake. He was ON DUTY and He pushed that rocket aside. Nothing is impossible for Him.

I am not naïve. I’ve lived life long enough to know that sometimes the rocket hits right at the most vulnerable place.  But Lord, I am so glad that it is not happenstance that makes that choice. You are sovereign. You are on guard.

So, I can sleep tonight, choosing not to fear, because My God NEVER sleeps, and He is in control. Even now. So I won't focus on the rockets, or even the mountains. I will focus on the One who made mountains and moved rockets. He's watching, and under His loving eye we are safe.