“The Lord is my
shepherd; I have all that I need.
He lets me rest in green meadows,
he leads
me beside peaceful streams.
he
renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths,
bringing
honour to his name.
Even when I walk
through
the darkest valley,
I will not be afraid,
for you
are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff
protect
and comfort me.
Psalm 23:1-4
My heart reaches out
to those of you who are alone, quarantined, self-isolating or mandated to stay
inside. I pray for the families who are faced with the monumental task of
keeping their children safe. I pray for the retirement communities who are
under lock down to protect this vulnerable sector.
I pray for those who
do not do well in solitude. May your presence be known to them.
I pray for those who
face losing their jobs, their businesses, and their dreams in these unprecedented
times.
Lord, the news here is mostly about my own country with brief notes and statistics
about our global family although I haven’t watched the news very often. I
have been burdened with wondering how those who are living in refugee camps
worldwide are faring. I lift them up to you, watch over them and keep them
well.
I know firsthand that the pandemic has been
particularly hard on the homeless here in my own town. Most of the resources
normally providing a safe place to get warm or get something to eat have closed
their doors. Thank you for the volunteers who are working hard to care for
these marginalized people.
There is so much
fear right now. Fear does terrible things. It changes us. For those who are
afraid, may you find peace.
In 1983 Mr. Rogers,
a much loved host of a long ago children’s show, wrote, “When I was a boy and I
would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me. “Look for the
helpers. You will always find people who are helping.”
God bless the
helpers. God bless those who aren’t able to help as well. Be with us all.
Even in the midst of
all this, seeing spring unfold has given such a lift to my own spirits. The
eagles have returned to their nest. The morning bird chorus is loud especially this morning following the gentle rain that fell through the night. The
spring peepers (the frogs I so look forward to hearing) have started waking up
and fill the warm, afternoon air with their song. It won’t be long before their
chorus continues through the night.
It fills my heart
with hope and excitement. Summer is around the corner.
