Streams of Mercy

I’m writing this a few days early to be sure it gets done. As we await the arrival of Hurricane Florence, we’re mindful of getting things done before the storm. Needed supplies are gathered in, and all are getting ready to “hunker down,” as we say in the mountains, and “ride out the storm.”

A friend called to share what her niece had done before the Houston storm, and I was reminded of such “acts of prayer and worship” in other seasons of my life. In a group of “turn-on-a-dime” friends in Virginia, we remembered the importance of such loving acts. (“turn-on-a –dime” means to be ready to following God’s leading at a moment’s notice!)

This friend’s niece prayed for the trees in her yard, thanking them for their shade and the beauty, reminding them how long they’d been there and how deep their roots were, and prayed that they would stand tall and strong when the winds and the rains come. She also blessed her house and left white lilies on the porch as they drove away.

This friend blessed the land of her family farm, then came to the church and manse to do the same. How blessed I am to be reminded of the importance of such acts of love and grace. I passed this message along to those I knew had the heart to understand, and now I’m passing it on to everyone.

I have a photo of the large tree standing guard over the manse, a visible sign of the cross clearly showing – the cross created by the shadow of the pump house door framed by two bird feeders- a visible reminder of God’s watchful care.

I remember another time I was blessed to see a sign of the cross. When I was in Sixth Grade, we studied all during Lent in Communicants Class, and we “joined the church/were confirmed” on Easter Sunday. On Maundy Thursday we met with the session and were required to say the Apostles’ Creed by candlelight in that meeting. It was a very moving experience. When I went home that evening, I knelt for prayer at my bedroom window and looking out through the screen to the full moon, I saw the form of the cross. Of course there was no air-conditioning back then, so I was looking directly through the screen. Try it! There are signs all around for those with eyes to see and hearts to understand. (Note: This doesn’t work if you’re looking through the glass window and the screen.)

Whatever the storm may bring, may this prayer bring us comfort and peace:

“’Til the storm passes over, ‘til the thunder sounds no more, ‘til the clouds roll forever from the sky. Hold us fast, let us stand in the hollow of Thy hand. Keep us safe, ‘til the storm passes by.”

Grateful for those streams of mercy, never ceasing, carrying us through the storm of this life into the life to come. Peace.

Elizabeth