Streams of Mercy

Yesterday was supposed to be a beautiful day at Jackson Springs Presbyterian, with lighting the Candle of Peace on our Advent Wreath and sharing a sermon about “Finding Peace.” We looked forward to the beauty of our Hanging of the Greens Service in the evening - our 200-year-old sanctuary is especially beautiful in the Advent-Christmas season – but this was not to be.

Most of Moore County was plunged into darkness Saturday evening when the main Duke Power Substation and the back-up station were targeted, with gates smashed and transformers riddled with bullets. Why such an act of vandalism, causing harm to so many, and who could have done such a destructive act? Three days later, we continue to live with unanswered questions, and thousands still are without power.

After a night and morning in a cold, dark house, friends and neighbors came to my rescue. A generator was brought so I could be sure to have my medical treatments; a heater was brought in to warm a room; a warm plate of home-cooked food showed up early afternoon; and a fast-food supper picked up by a friend coming back from Greensboro that evening hit the spot! With landline, cell phone and internet out of order, it would have been easy to feel all alone, but friends and neighbors made the difference.

I was planning to preach on “Finding Peace,” the main text coming from Isaiah 11, telling of the coming of a time when “the lamb and the lion will lie down together … and none will hurt or destroy in all the land.” Will that time ever come, I wondered, dealing with the events of the day? Will the many, many “lions” and the “lambs” in our world today ever come to a time of peace? That seems a distant dream in light of the happenings in recent days.

After waiting outside for the few who weren’t affected by the power outage, and came for morning worship, I went back into the cold, dark and empty sanctuary and sat at the piano, deciding to play a Christmas hymn or two before heading back to the manse. The hymnal opened to “Break Forth O Beauteous Heavenly Light” and I played from the heart. Never will I forget the beauty of that moment – for in that moment I found peace.

May God bless our county in these days of recovery, with neighbors helping neighbors, and all working together to secure and strengthen the life we share in this special corner of God’s good creation.

Elizabeth