WATCHWORD:
Humble yourselves, therefore under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:6-7
Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5:18
Meditation:
‘oft gang agley…
In Robert Burns’ prose, he makes this interesting Gaelic observation: “The best laid schemes of mice o’ men ‘gang oft agley’.” I think many of our best laid plans ‘oft gang agley’, not quite the way we wanted them, but the way God redirected the events of our lives.
Is it ever too late to follow a thought, an inspiration, a dream? How about those ideas that are thrust before your eyes from unexpected places, or even from expected, but surprising places? How about a fortune cookie? Ever take those seriously? I am addicted to Dove dark chocolate minis with the foil inspirational wraps. Here’s a good one: “Don’t talk about it, be about it.” This is one that keeps me going: “You are never too old, and it is never too late.” Do we take those seriously? Encouragement? Fortune telling? Do we?
Then along comes the whispered voice of my faith and asks a question that throws me off: What does it mean to obey God? I mean what does it look like in your everyday living? What does it feel like when you are attuned to God, when you are truly obeying Him?
If we’re devoted to obeying God wouldn’t that require that you trust God in all things? A passage from Esther 4:14b, comes to mind in my own paraphrasing: “God has prepared us for such a time as this”.
Such a time as this very moment as you read this, as you live each moment of our lives, they are all times such as this. For such a time as the pattern of our lives brings us face-to-face with difficulties, joys, peace, anxious moments; our Lord has prepared us.
How has God prepared us? I struggled with that for a while until I realized that so many of the things that God taught me, guided me through the course of my life, each has prepared me, has given me graces that ordinarily I would not have except through those times and experiences.
We all have moments that have changed our lives, the birth of our first child that altered the course of our lives. Maybe it’s something that happened to a loved one close to us and it hurt us, deeply. Maybe we suffered through something we would like to forget and yet it has placed within us a gift; Empathy, our ability to understand at a deeper level what another is going through. We have empathy because we endured something similar, and we could understand in part, and in a certain way, walk with them.
I’m reminded of the story of the man that fell into a hole and couldn’t get out. A pastor came by, sympathized with him, said a prayer and moved on. A good friend came by, jumped in the hole. “What are you doing here now neither one of us can get out.” The friend replied, “Not so, I’ve been here before, and I know the way out.” God’s preparation; Empathy.
God has prepared us for such a moment as this. May it be so with us. Amen.
Closing Prayer:
Sometime, Lord, we don’t know what to do when confronted with difficulties, or many events that crush us at the same time and it’s hard for us to handle it all. It often leaves us feeling helpless, anxious. In those times, Heavenly Father, please forgive us when we dwell on self-pity and do not turn to you until the burden gets so heavy that we call out to You, in desperation. Help us learn to be more aware of your presence, deepen our awareness that You are there, walking beside us. Help us to take hold of your loving hand that we see before us in our prayer minds. Help us to be assured and to walk with confidence and gratitude for all the graces and gifts that you shower upon us. It’s in Jesus name I offered these prayers. Amen
