In His Time

A Reflection on the Psalm for July 10th, 2022
​Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Psalm 69

R. Seek God in your need, and let your hearts revive.

As for me, prayer is to you, O Lord. At an acceptable time, O God, in the abundance of your steadfast love, answer me. With your steadfast help, rescue me. Answer me, O Lord, for your steadfast love is good; according to your abundant mercy, turn to me. 

R. Seek God in your need, and let your hearts revive.

But I am lowly and in pain; let your salvation, O God, protect me. I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving. 

R. Seek God in your need, and let your hearts revive.

Let the oppressed see it and be glad; you who seek God, let your hearts revive. 

R. Seek God in your need, and let your hearts revive.

For God will save Zion and rebuild the cities of Judah; the children of his servants shall inherit it, those who love his name shall live in it. 

R. Seek God in your need, and let your hearts revive.
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I’m so grateful that God knows I need Him to have a sense of irony to catch my attention. He sent this Psalm for me to reflect upon at precisely the right time, and I couldn’t help but chuckle a bit at the irony of His perfect timing.

As a woman, I have fallen prey to the caregiver role, taking care of everyone around me and neglecting the self-care that is so important if I am going to continue being able to care for those I love. Over the last number of years, I have let go of scheduling self-care appointments like the doctor, the dentist, and those all-important screenings that women of my age need to have done with some regularity. The introduction of the ability to speak with my medical doctor by telephone, instead of having to go to her office to get prescriptions renewed, only added to the illusion that I was actually taking care of myself. Except, during our last phone appointment, she reminded me that I was several years overdue for a few of those screening appointments.

Resolving to do better, a few weeks ago I took an hour and made a bunch of calls. A cleaning at the dentist; an appointment with the periodontal clinic to discuss some long-term dental work; an in-person appointment with my doctor; and yes, those screening appointments. After all, I knew the wait for those clinics was long, so I figured I wouldn’t need to attend the appointment until at least October.

To my surprise, I was told they had a cancellation, and I could get in the very next week.  I attended that screening, and within days, received a call from my doctor’s office that the test had indeed detected something that needed further and almost immediate investigation. They had already scheduled that follow-up appointment for me, and ironically, it fell on the very day I had already booked off for the in-person doctor’s appointment. The Lord, in His wisdom, had arranged it so I could speak with my trusted doctor in the morning to get more information before attending the follow-up appointment that afternoon.

I ended the call with my doctor’s office and was immediately filled with fear. This was the kind of call no woman wants to get. Questions raced through my mind – had I left it too long? Was this just a shadow that had been seen, or was it really something to worry about? Did this explain the overwhelming exhaustion I had been feeling for the last several months?  

I happened to be away from home leading a large staff meeting and had stepped out to return my doctor’s call. I sat in my car in disbelief, and then decided to call my husband.  His response was directly from God as he calmly said to me, “Worry won’t get us anywhere. No matter what, we will face this together with God, and we will be all right.”  That peace that surpasses understanding filled me. I knew in that moment that he was right. God has me cradled in the palm of His hand, and at an acceptable time, He will answer me. With His steadfast help, He will rescue me. And with His abundant mercy, He has turned to me. For that, and for all He has graced me with, I will praise Him.




Sandy Graves

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