From the End of the Earth

Part of my job as a counselor last summer at camp was leading devotional times for the cabin. Some weeks we spent a lot of time tailor-fitting them to the girls' needs; sometimes they were more generic.

One of my favorites that I did with maybe few cabins was based on Psalm 61. If I remember correctly, we focused on the first three verses or so.

Hear my cry, O God,

listen to my prayer;

from the end of the earth I call to you

when my heart is faint.

Lead me to the rock

that is higher than I,

for you have been my refuge,

a strong tower against the enemy.

We were focused on prayer, and these verses are hauntingly rich in what they teach about how we can pray.

What is the man who wrote this doing? Praying.

How does he feel about his prayer? It's a cry...

Where does he feel like he's talking to God from? The end of the earth!

Does he feel close to God at all? No!

So he feels like God is really really far away... but what's he doing? He's praying.

He's praying! It still gets me. And he expects God to hear him, to be his refuge, even when he feels a million miles away.

I love it.