The fifth pre-assembly devotion is shared by Pastor Jonathan Boynton. Pastor Boynton serves as one of the pastors at Grace, Winchester and is an outgoing member of the Virginia Synod Council and Executive Committee.
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Psalm 121:1-2 “I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.”
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In the ancient world, travelers embarking on pilgrimages to Jerusalem would recite Psalm 121 as they journeyed through dangerous mountain passes. Looking up at the imposing heights, they asked the essential question we all face in moments of vulnerability: “Where does my help come from?”
I wonder if Lutherans from Pennsylvania, who moved south into the Shenandoah Valley, marveled at the mountains to both east and west, in 1732? They represented the first Lutherans west of the Appalachian Mountains. Did they too pray Psalm 121 that has sometimes been called “The Travelers Psalm?”
The psalmist answers with unwavering certainty: our help comes from the Lord, the Creator of all things, who neither slumbers nor sleeps, who watches over our coming and going both now and forevermore.
As branches connected to the Vine, we draw our strength, our purpose, and ultimately our hope from this connection. The intertwining of our lives with God’s presence isn’t merely a comforting idea—it’s the essential nourishment that sustains us through every season of our journey. We are not isolated branches but part of a greater community of faith to live life together as the Virginia Synod.
When we contemplate what it means to “die in hope,” we’re acknowledging that our connection to the Vine doesn’t end with physical death. The hope we carry isn’t wishful thinking but confident assurance that the God who watches over us in life remains faithful beyond earthly death.
Let us remember that the mountains before us—whether they represent challenges in ministry, obstacles in our communities, or fears about the future—are watched over by the God who never sleeps. Our help comes from the Lord, who keeps us in life and in death.
Prayer: Creator God, you who made the mountains and valleys, we lift our eyes to you as the source of our help and hope. Strengthen our connection to you, that we might bear fruit in our ministries and communities. When we face mountains of challenge, remind us of your watchful presence. When we walk through valleys filled with shadow, assure us that you neither slumber nor sleep. In our living and in our dying, keep us in your everlasting hope. Amen.
