The Curious Pilgrim

God Is Already at Work

“The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.” — Psalm 118:14

One of the greatest mysteries of faith is that God is often doing His deepest work before we recognize it.

Today’s Daily Office readings invite us to look back over our lives and discover that God has been faithfully present all along—even in moments of uncertainty, disappointment, and our own poor decisions.

Psalm 118 proclaims, “The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.” That verse describes a journey. God strengthens us through life’s struggles. In time, that strength becomes our song of gratitude. Looking back, we realize that God was our salvation all along.

Paul develops that same truth in Romans by pointing to Abraham.

“His faith was reckoned to him as righteousness.”

The word reckoned means “credited” or “counted.” Abraham did not earn God’s favor by living a perfect life. He received it because he trusted God’s promise. Righteousness is not perfection; it is living in a trusting relationship with the God who is always faithful.

That gives me hope.

Like Abraham, I have questioned God, taken detours, and sometimes tried to solve problems in my own strength. Yet God’s faithfulness has always been greater than my failures.

The story of Saul’s anointing reminds us of another important truth. Israel rejected God’s desire to be their king and demanded a human ruler instead. God warned them of the consequences, yet in mercy He still worked through Saul. Human choices cannot derail God’s ultimate purposes. Even when we resist God’s ideal, His grace continues to pursue us.

Jesus confronts another kind of blindness in today’s Gospel. The chief priests ask Him, “By what authority are you doing these things?” They were experts in Scripture but failed to recognize the very One to whom Scripture pointed. Their knowledge became a barrier because they expected God to work according to their assumptions.

Jesus answers with the parable of two sons. One said “no” but later obeyed. The other said “yes” but never acted. God is less concerned with religious appearances than with hearts that ultimately respond in trust and obedience.

These readings speak powerfully to my own pilgrimage.

There have been seasons when I wondered where God was. Looking back, I now see that God’s mercy was quietly carrying me through every chapter of my life. The painful moments, the unexpected turns, the unanswered prayers—even those became part of God’s gracious work of shaping me.

Faith does not require having every answer.

Faith trusts the One who already knows the way.

Today I am reminded that God is still writing my story. God’s mercy still endures forever. God’s authority is still quietly transforming lives. And God’s salvation is not something I achieve—it is Someone who has been walking beside me all along.

May we have eyes to recognize God at work today, even when we cannot yet see where the path is leading.

Prayer

Gracious God, You are my strength, my song, and my salvation. Teach me to trust Your promises as Abraham did. Help me recognize Your presence when my understanding is limited and Your ways surprise me. Keep my heart open to Your authority, my life responsive to Your call, and my hope anchored in Your steadfast love that endures forever. Amen.