Saturday, December 27, 2014

Shade Tree Wisdom 12/27/14


          Church services usually end with the Aaronic  Blessing.
“The Lord bless thee,
And keep thee;
He make His face shine upon thee,
And be gracious
unto thee,
The Lord lift up His Countenance upon thee,
And give thee peace”.
 Numbers 6,24-26.

         So the worshiper always leaves the service with God’s blessing ringing in his or her ears. Ready to begin the new week.

          These days during quiet moments I wonder where this “peace that passes all understanding” disappeared to. I remember one afternoon on a cold winter’s day making a pastoral visit to a member who was staying in a room with a family who were taking care of her. So after celebrating the Lord’s Supper and our visit and devotion together, I left to drive home. My way led through deep forest and there was a lake set on the side. I stopped and looked at the quiet water, several ducks were floating and eating, a Heron stood fishing, He caught a minnow while I watched. And I was flooded with a feeling of “Peace with God”.

          The moment passed, I had “promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep”.  So I reluctantly drove on. Suddenly the forest gave way to a casino run by Indians on their reservation, and that was going full blast, with lights and noise and people all over. And that “peace with God” lay shattered by civilization.

          It strikes me that our life is too often just like that. Our quiet moments are broken by  unexpected company or a telephone request for urgent help with something, or whatever.

          Let us seek to try to live with that blessing and peace with each other and the people we meet daily. God surely will bless such a life, so lived in His grace.

GPD 12/27/14

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