7/31- Psalm 139- Flying for God

Devotional using scripture, quote from John Calvin and thoughts for the day each day- on the 500th anniversary of Calvin's birth.

7/31- Psalm 139: 7-10
“Where can I go from your spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your have will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.”

Calvin abridged: It is impossible that people by any deception would escape the eye of God. David means that he could not move from one place to another without God’s seeing him, and following him with his eyes as he moved. No matter what obscure corner we hid in, God finds us- for he is able to see through heaven and hell.
“The wings of the morning”- speaks of the suns rays brightening up the world swiftly. The idea is that even if we fly with the speed of light, there is no place that escapes his great power (which is what “hand” means).

Thought: Today I will be in the air for about 11 hours on my way to Peru via- Columbia to Dallas to Miami to Lima to Iquitos. We are going there to do preliminary work to establish a water filtration plant there. Iquitos has 120,000 residents (one study said 600,000 metro area), but no clean, potable water. The church will be putting in a filtration machine that should be able to filter 3,000 gallons a day. This will be near the mission compound. Right now the people of Iquitos, bathe in the water, wash in the water, go to the bathroom in the water, and drink from the same water. Francis Burriss said, “They know the water makes them sick, but they also know they can’t do much to prevent it.” We hope to be doing something. I am blogging on these verses and Calvin’s commentary on them, because they are my favorite flying verses- “if I rise on the wings of the dawn, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.” Flying to me is like riding a roller coaster. I used to like it, not it just shakes me up. Flying is something you just go through. But God does not neglect anyone- we can’t fly above or below his radar and care.

Prayer: Lord, help me to rest in your great care and love.