Friday, February 14, 2020

Dearest God,

You hold each of us close.  You are never far from us.

Sometimes we feel "far off," distant from you, O God.  We almost always blame you, believing you have left us.  Yet, when we closely examine our lives, we discover our own actions have often kept you at "arm's length."  But then when we really think about it, really think about it, we know that a loving parent does not leave their child alone; they are always nearby.

O Lord, we need help in keeping ourselves aware of your living presence.  We need to pause and think of all the ways you are revealed in the world beginning with nature.  Nature alone points us daily to you.  Just as a tiny bird finds shelter on a stormy day, so do we have shelter in you during our own stormy moments.  Moments of unexpected gestures of kindness, a smile or a word of encouragement are poignant sacred happenings when we can't find you.  All we need do is regroup our heart and mind and look deeper in unexpected places.

Holy God,
your love
is like
no other.
When we
feel unloved,
alone or rejected,
we only need
to settle down
and consider
the One
who has
ultimately created us.
We are yours,
children really,
children of
a loving parent,
the best kind.
Keep us close
in our minds,
hearts and souls
so we
do not have
to walk estranged.

Love, Andrea