My family and I recently camped at the foot of a mountain in Glacier National Park. In the morning, when I stepped out of my tent, I was eager to sit with my coffee and soak in the beauty. I wanted to watch mountain goats following their personal paths across rocky ledges and then turn my eyes above the peak and look for eagles soaring. I wanted to be present in that moment so that it would stay with me the rest of my life. 

The closing lines of Psalm 17 remind me of that feeling. The psalmist has spent his life on a journey of trust and faith with the Lord. He has followed the path of the Lord, and it’s worked for him. His “steps have held to [God’s] paths” and his “feet have not stumbled” (verse 5). He has learned the beauty of God’s ways and memorized what God’s faithfulness looks like. He loves the Lord so much that he says, “When I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness” (verse 15).

Is this peace possible for people like you and me? Simply, yes. We too can live interwoven with the Lord and his likeness. How? As we spend loads of time dwelling in his Word and listening to his voice and living in Christian community with others, he will become ever-present to us. 

Even better than a stunning mountain scene, we can begin each morning in a good place as we dwell in God’s presence.