Streams of Mercy
What a week this has been! After missing worship together last week, we endured days without power, torrential rain, strong winds and rising waters. We’ve dealt with flooding basements, leaking roofs and crumbling country roads. After a week of rooftop rescues and heroic efforts to save life; after a week of following detour after detour to get into and out of Jackson Springs; after a week when strangers became friends and neighbors became family; after “the storm passed by, ” we gathered for worship at Jackson Springs Presbyterian Church.
While I thought long and hard about changing the hymns and the sermon, preaching on getting through the storms of life and singing hymns like “Til the Storm Passes By” and hymns about Jesus calming the stormy seas; somehow it seems important to honor the week that is passed by going on with life, and being grateful for the chance to do so.
Every new day is a chance to sing “When morning gilds the skies, my heart awakening cries, may Jesus Christ be praised.” Every new day is a good day to ask God to “open our eyes that we might see glimpses of truth he has for us.” Every new day is a good day to sing, “Lord, speak to me, that I may speak,” praying that our words to each other be a reflection of God’s word to us.
This has been a week of grieving for our brothers and sisters in many places - so much suffering and struggle, and the agony continues. I’ve shared with many of you that I’ve found it difficult to use the word “blessed” to describe my good fortune at making it through this difficult week with only a soggy basement in the manse and at the church. It seems if I use the word “blessed” for myself, it automatically designates others whose homes washed away as “not blessed.” I’m more comfortable using the word “fortunate!”
Every time we turn on the television, we hear words of anger and frustration, words of fear, discouragement and hopelessness, words of weariness and disappointment, words of judgment and division; sometimes there just are no words for what we’re going through.
Together we prayed: “Meet the needs of your children everywhere; help all to find a way through these days after the storm. Move neighbors to help neighbors; enable government agencies to cut through red tape and respond to needs; shine your light of hope in the shadows of this life. In the midst of all the struggles we face, may we feel your loving care around us, and underneath your everlasting arms. When we lose sight of your goodness in the midst of the circumstances of this life, help us to see your vision of a world made one in Jesus Christ, and work together for the coming of that day.”
Ever grateful for those streams of mercy and showers of blessing that help us through the storms of this life. Peace.
Elizabeth