Keeping our going out and our coming in

James Cathcart March 02, 2026 3 3

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Psalm 121 (NIV-UK)

1 

I lift up my eyes to the mountains –
    where does my help come from?

2 

My help comes from the Lord,
    the Maker of heaven and earth.

3 

He will not let your foot slip –
    he who watches over you will not slumber;

4 

indeed, he who watches over Israel
    will neither slumber nor sleep.

5 

The Lord watches over you –
    the Lord is your shade at your right hand;

6 

the sun will not harm you by day,
    nor the moon by night.

7 

The Lord will keep you from all harm –
    he will watch over your life;

8 

the Lord will watch over your coming and going
    both now and for evermore.

When we journey, we never travel alone, God is with us. There are signs everywhere.

God uses the world around us to speak continually of grace. God uses nature, music, our imaginations, our intellect, our reason, our memories, and literal signs to communicate with us. Jesus lives life in the open and the messages God gives us are not mysterious arcane secrets to decode. They are continual reminders of goodness, grace, humility and self-giving love. Sometimes we shy away from the simplicity of saying ‘God is love’ but God IS love, and in the loving gestures of the world we see God. These often come into sharpest focus in the midst of dark or difficult times. 

Psalm 121 is often called the traveller’s psalm and God’s promise is that God will accompany us through life. We are not alone, there are signs everywhere. 

As I said, sometimes God uses literal signs to speak to us. And God is about to speak to us through a cow.

A cow called Patience. Chances are you have seen a picture of her. She’s no longer with us but she was a real cow and she lived in Warwickshire in the middle of the twentieth century.

Like I say you’d probably recognise her. Because Patience is immortalised in a triangular sign warning drivers about nearby farm animals that may cross the road. She was drawn by Margaret Calvert who (along with Jock Kinneir) revolutionised British roads in the 1950s into the 60s and beyond. Beginning with the new motorways, and then across the whole system, they standardised and streamlined signs making them more legible, accessible and softer. Before 1950 signs tended to SHOUT AT US, but with their simple but friendly Transport font and clear images, Calvert and Kinneir made our roads safer as they guided our going out and coming in.

Calvert had relatives with a farm, and one of their cows — Patience — was the inspiration for the sign. Calvert’s sign urges ‘patience’ as we take caution and become more mindful of passing animals. Many of us would do well to channel the gentle Patience through all our comings and goings, mindful of other road users however big or small.

Prayer:

Dear God,

Give us the patience of Patience

to see the signs

that guide us

through this life.

Amen.