Highs and Lows – Dealing with it – From the Edges

Highs and Lows – God Is There Through It All

Pastor Calvin Cook –

July 14, 2025

Scripture: “If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.” — Psalm 139:8 (NIV)

Again please be reminded these devotions are written to myself in my quiet time in the morning alone in what I call sanctuary, with a Bible, a heart on listening through prayer, centering whether it be quiet or music, and of course my cat Mable who accompanies me most mornings on this journey with sometimes her soothing presence and sometimes her annoying persistence.

The past week has been a series of highs and lows. Some I can share, some at this point need to remain between me and God as remembered and worshiped as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

The new week has brought reflection to the last week of times of Holy fellowship, sharing a meal or a moment with a Brother or Sister in Christ, sitting at the feet of Jesus in worship, celebrating Holy Communion, and Baptizing those who are making a public profession of faith. Discovering that the Holy Spirit is moving powerfully as I watched and participated in a community worship led by young people who love Jesus and are desiring to serve Jesus with their lives.

The lows have been daily struggles that we all face – relationship issues, financial, community, and just trying to get by. I have had to engage in some tough meetings, grieve with families who had just lost a loved one, one of those tearful departures was with a friend of 40 plus years. Having to be held accountable and seeking to live out the promises that I have made in the way in which we all have made and being convicted when that did not happen.

While on a roller coaster at Waldemere in Erie with friends from our churches, I thought about life and the ups and downs and how truly life is passing us by. Life is full of ups and downs. One day, we feel victorious, seen, and full of purpose. The next, we’re wrestling with doubt, grief, or exhaustion. But whether we’re riding high or feeling like we’ve hit bottom, the constant in every moment is God’s presence.

I tried to remind those who I preached to this past weekend that God is present, and if we can’t recognize God’s presence, well that is on us. If we have faltered and failed allowing temptation, sinfulness, or bad decisions to be the rule of the day, that as well is on us.

David knew this truth well. In Psalm 139, he reflects on the omnipresence of God—how there’s nowhere he can go to escape His presence. In the heavens (our mountaintop moments), God is glorified. In the depths (our valleys of despair), God is still near, holding us even when we can’t see Him. God is just as present in our weakness as in our strength.

Now it is time to move into this Holy Presence and as the song says “trade our sorrows in for the joy of the Lord.” The freshness of the new day is before us, what will you do with it?

Prayer:

Lord, thank You that You are with me no matter where I find myself. Whether I’m celebrating on the mountaintop or crawling through the valley, You never leave. Help me to trust You, to listen for Your voice, and to rest in Your faithful presence. Amen.

Thanks for reading and praying that the Holy Spirit invades are very being.

Pastor Calvin