Old Abraham is anxious to arrange a marriage for his son, and sends an unnamed servant on a long journey to find a bride.
The servant knew that the task was urgent. Like most of us, he felt the pressure of expectation, deadline and result.
Yet the servant was wise, and even when all the signs pointed to one woman as "success," he shut up, watched, listened and waited.
That kind of contemplation is elusive. It does not seem "productive."
We feel this squirmy anxiety as it snows again in Sioux Falls. Weekend plans will be cancelled. We'll be stuck inside. We'll grumble about the long winter's intrusions on our urgent plans.
Meanwhile, one of the Friday Morning Canticles in the Book of Common Prayer includes,
For as rain and snow fall from the heavens and return not again,
but water the earth,
Bringing forth life and giving growth,
Bringing forth life and giving growth,
seed for sowing and bread for eating,
So is my word that goes forth from my mouth;
So is my word that goes forth from my mouth;
it will not return to me empty;
But it will accomplish that which I have purposed,
But it will accomplish that which I have purposed,
and prosper in that for which I sent it.
This snow, piled up so high that we don't know where to pitch the next shovelful, will melt and water earth's greening in the spring - "bringing forth life and giving growth."
This snow is a sign of God's word. God's word brings life, but this requires us to put our urgencies on hold, gaze, listen and wait.
2 comments:
Thanks for the post and reminder. Ottawa has had a relatively snow free winter so far. There's a storm expected, so we may have a struggle getting to church on Sunday morning.
Above that, I pray that you have a cool and long spring to cut down on the floods. Some flooding is needed to replenish the fields, but we don't need houses floating to Winnipeg.
Bill - a good point and God's people should be interceding. The flood danger will be real, and even without floods wet conditions can interfere with farmers' spring planting.
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