The Encampment Of The Lord

From the days of the Hebrews crossing the desert to the Promised Land, there has been a collective faith that the cries of the poor go not unheeded. "The angel of the Lord encamps /round those who fear him, and delivers them". (Ps 34:8) Each day seems to bring new challenges from rising gas prices, now at some stations over $4.00, to the interminable War on Terror, the need for that Angel of the Lord never diminishes. Even in our own spiritual lives, we must maintain an hourly alert (it seems), so remain sane. We are assured, however, by the Psalmist who describes his own plight: "I sought the Lord, and he answered me/and delivered me from all my fears." (Ps 34:5) Perhaps in just the few minutes it takes to read and reflect on this daily slice of bread, we can find solace in the Angel's camp. We are urged in the same Psalm to "Look to [the Lord] that you may be radiant with joy, /and your faces may not blush with shame. Taste and see how good the Lord is;/ blessed are they who take refuge in him." (Ps 34: 6,9) Looking to the Lord, we see more clearly the bright side of life, such as the 65 students who were inducted into the National Honor Society here at Central last night, or the student who already completed her 24 hours of service as a sophomore, but does not want to stop; rather she wants to make service a way of life for the rest of her life! When angels such as these break out of the camp, they bring radiance and solace to those hampered by fear and despondency. Let us "look to the Lord that we may be radiant with joy."
Bro. Rene