Good morning…
In the early hours, the image above opened our Saturday morning post, I Get Overwhelmed. Together with the Holy Spirit, we learned a freeing truth: “I only need to find a path, I don’t have to clear the wilderness.”
By Saturday evening, the image from our blog post became the back drop of a collage I created depicting my deepest prayers. Two American soldiers and a civilian interpreter were ambushed by ISIS militants in Syria, and two students were killed by a gunman, with nine others injured, in Providence, Rhode Island at Brown University. Then on Sunday morning, we woke to the news that fifteen people, including children, were murdered by two gunmen during an outdoor Hanukkah celebration in Sydney, Australia, with dozens left injured. Adding flowers of memorial for all of the innocent victims, my collage changed again before I headed to worship at Northside Church.
Our talented festive choir, with soloists and orchestra, brought to life the first part of Handel’s Messiah, George Frideric Handel’s famous oratorio telling the story of Jesus Christ’s life, death, and resurrection using biblical texts. The music and Scriptures lit an incredibly powerful path through the painful darkness blanketing our world.
At night, my husband and I went to a holiday party with several jewish friends and a couple whose son goes to Brown University. Processing the day’s pain together was incredibly helpful. Now, up in the middle of the night, the path forward takes on a 3-D dimension. I am reminded again, “I only need to find a path, I don’t have to clear the wilderness.”
In the morning let me hear of your mercy, for in you I trust. Show me the path I should walk, for I entrust my life to you (Psalm 143:8, NABRE).
…Sue…
