The other week after 10 years of living in the Netherlands, we finally got to visit the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam! Yep, we had not been before : ) In our defence, it was closed for a number of years.
Among other paintings of course is The Night Watch by Rembrandt. Above is a small excerpt from that large canvas.
Here are these group of militia men charged with duty to keep the streets safe and watch over the people. Presumably they would be those whom others could look to for help if needed.
In life where do we look? Where is our trust placed?
Before we moved here from the UK, we were praying together and the words of Psalm 121 helped shape what we were praying:
I lift up my eyes to the hills (there were hills where we used to live!)
From where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. (verses 1 and 2)
The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forever more. (verse 8)
This Psalm is one of the so called Songs of Ascents, that pilgrims probably sang and proclaimed as they journeyed up to Jerusalem for festivals. The words reminded the Jewish people of the Lord’s faithfulness and that they are called to look to Him.
Often in hills at that time there would be shrines to other gods. It was neither from the hills nor those shrines that the people would find true help. But rather from the Lord.
Where are we looking? What modern ‘shrines’ can we end up building in our lives, that can get in the way of our knowing the Lord at work in our lives?
The One who was celebrated in these words of this Psalm, is still the same today. Let’s look to Him – not just in the tough times but when things seem to be going well too!
Andy