The Lake
Brenda Roberts of Collingwood, CA, USA
And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father\’s only son, full of grace and truth. From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. -John 1:14, 16-17
Not being allowed to have our grandchildren in our house due to pandemic restrictions has been difficult, but we could still use our outdoor space. And who knew what thrills awaited us there?
Melting snow in a drainage ditch, not too deep to be dangerous for little people under supervision, soaked our feet and warmed our hearts. Our children splashed in that ditch in spring when they were young, and now, another generation experienced the same joy. Floating sticks in the gentle current enthralled even the youngest. Seeing who could stand on the thin layer of ice still intact on the puddles, without breaking through, brought the thrill of challenge and daring. Jumping across the small stream and cheering when one succeeded and laughing when another got wet provided hours of entertainment. These are the ageless activities of childhood that enticed them back again and again and delighted us all while creating memories to cherish.
One day my granddaughter said, “Grandma, can we play in the lake when we come to your house?” The lake. After relaying her question to my husband later, we both had a chuckle about a child’s perception. But isn’t that what we often do as adults when faced with the difficulties of life? If we viewed them from an alternate perspective, through the lens of having a loving God who is there to help us in those hard places, many of our lakes would turn out to be puddles and more easily navigated. God is there to assist us, but just like parents and grandparents, God will let us struggle to develop skills and strength, and we may even get wet, but will not drown.
Isaiah 46:4 says, “Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.” Our loving God is in the puddles of life with us and isn’t going anywhere.
Prayer Phrase
“Led by the Holy Spirit, we work with God and others to restore peace (shalom) to creation” (https://www.cofchrist.org/enduring-principles).
Spiritual Practice
Embodying God’s Shalom
Find a way to express and embody God’s shalom. Begin by prayerfully listening to your longing for peace and wholeness. Become silent and imagine you can hear the groaning of the Earth’s people, nations, and creatures. Prayerfully open yourself to God’s yearning for peace and the divine vision of shalom.
What images, feelings, and words come to you? What prayer for peace comes to you from your time of listening? Speak or write this prayer. What act of justice, kindness, healing, or peacemaking does God invite you to consider this day?
Today’s Prayer for Peace
Engage in a daily practice of praying for peace in our world. Click here to read today’s prayer and be part of this practice of peace.
