Watching by Night

Watching by Night
Originally uploaded by auntjojo

The psalm for the week continues, "On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night. Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wing." (Ps. 63:6-7)

Night comes in many forms. Whether it is simply darkness or the dark night of the soul. In many ways, Lent seems like the watches of the night in Christ's story. It is the growing darkness before the dawn. And the disciples, though they cared for Jesus, could not keep watch by night. They fell asleep in the garden of Gethsemane, unable to stay awake when Jesus asked them to. The Psalmist speaks of watching for God in the midst of our suffering knowing that we are sheltered under "the shadow of your wing." But Gethsemane reminds us that we are to also keep watch for others, to have eyes open and awake to the suffering of God's children in the world. Will I keep watch for Haiti? For Chile? For my own city? For those in pain in my own congregation? Help me, Lord, to keep watch in the night, to lift them up to you.