Recently my grandson Gabriel moved to Las Vegas. He had planned this move for about two years, and when the opportunity arose, he jumped. He drove 1,125 miles from Seattle to Las Vegas, through mountains he’d never seen before, a desert and barren land foreign to him. It took him two days, and during those two days, we prayed fervently for God’s mercy for safe travel.

In Psalm 90:1 we read: “Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations.” What does this psalm mean? To me, it means that through everything, and every place, God is with us. In Gabriel’s case, even through the Blue Mountains of Oregon (which can be hazardous due to how steep inclines), through the desert of Northern Nevada, through the flat land in Idaho, God was with him. God was his dwelling place.

Often we rely most on God during trials and tribulations. We pray fervently for God’s mercy. Yet we can also thank and praise God through song when things are going right. When we dwell in our Lord’s presence even when life’s turmoil surrounds us, we find peace. For that I am ever grateful.

Lord, I am forever thankful for your abiding presence and your love for all people. In you I find my dwelling place. Amen.

Shared by Sue Delgado – Alaska Native Lutheran Church, Anchorage
from The Alaska Synod Advent Devotional 2024, “Let your light shine!”