St. Theodore’s

By Lisa Rotchford

Reverend

The heat of the summer bears down in earnest on Southern California every September and we all seek shelter and refreshment. This year we have the extra task of staying cool while sheltering from a viral pandemic. We join with our biblical ancestors who faced many challenges of their own, when they too faced the desert heat and challenges of many kinds. King David writes in Psalm 63:1-7 that we can seek the peace, comfort and refreshment in knowing God is with us through it all. This psalm is often titled the Prayer of David in the wilderness of Judah. The uncertainty of the pandemic often can make us feel like we are a bit lost in the wilderness.

“O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power. Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands. My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night; for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.” Remembering David’s prayer-filled psalm reminds us through the centuries that from the very depth of our being — our soul — we are to seek God’s presence and we will know God’s providence, protection and peace. Keep the faith, seek with hope and your spirit in the Lord, and you will find joy-filled refreshment in this summer’s heat.