We await God’s presence, alert, watching for the shining light shining on the lighted path of Truth and Love. We are blessed by the presence of Jesus in our learning and the Holy Spirit in our lives. The wisdom and ethics that Jesus taught is graciously given because we are God’s children. I have read so much about using God’s blessing to seek justice for all of our friends and neighbors. I pray each day for guidance to bring my prayers into being as I open my heart with God’s love and caring.
We need to hear God’s voice; we need to feel God’s presence to conduct this challenging task. Sometimes, however, we cannot hear, we cannot feel. We lose hope, especially reading about the possibility of wars all around the globe and even in our own country. We are scared! We fear going to a popular place or to a mall for shopping because there might be a crazed gunman angry at himself or the world. But I think back to the times described in the Bible, Israel being overrun by neighbors, religious leaders determined to kill Jesus, and two or three hundred years later, people with ideas that did not agree with church leaders being excommunicated or even burned at the stake. I ask if anything is really any more dangerous today.
I apologize in advance to philosophizing. I look at my life and the lives of my children and grandchildren. We are all blessed by God’s goodness and Love. You and I are not different. God blesses us. Knowing that I live the life that pleases God, I have very little fear of external events. I know that God is with me and my family. I know that God is with you and your family. We suffer pain, we suffer loss, but we are comforted by God’s presence. This is just as true in times of quiet as it is in times of trial.
I memorized this line when I was in grammar school and Sunday school: “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me.” We recognize this from Psalm 23. A former shepherd boy wrote these words. We revere in God’s Love and protection. As we approach Christmas in this Advent season, let us share our gladness of God’s Love and fear no evil.
© Russell Kendall Carter
Meditating to Heal 