From the Pastor's Pen

Dear friends,

I was sitting at lunch outside today feeling a little blah.  I’m sorry to say that the Covid numbers in our county have me a little down these days.  And as I was sitting there, I happened to look up and see this glorious cloud.  I’m hoping you can catch something of its beauty in my picture.

I watched the cloud for a bit.  It was hanging low in the sky with a puffy magnificence.  I marveled at how large it was and wondered about how it hung there suspended above us.  Eventually I went back to my lunch and when I looked up again it was gone from its original place but had moved on to the east and reformed into a new shape.  I like clouds.  Can you tell?

Millenia ago God put a sign in the sky to assure a very primitive people that God would not curse the ground or destroy the living creatures of the earth… again. (Genesis 8:21)  The story I reference is the Flood of Noah’s time and the sign in the sky was the rainbow.  Now I know lots of people don’t quite know what to make of Noah’s story.  Was it myth or a real event?  Either way, the faithful of that day, who wrote down this story believed and affirmed that God had determined not to be “against” humanity and the creation, but merciful toward the human heart which has an inclination to evil. (Genesis 8:21)  The sign of this promise that God would be inclined to mercy, is that God put up his hunter bow in the sky and has colored it to be a thing of beauty.

Today I took hope in the cloud in the sky.  Maybe it wasn’t a sign from God, but it certainly caused me to remember that God has promised not to destroy the earth and the living things upon it, including humankind in all its foolishness.  God is not responsible for the pandemic… just in case you were wondering.  It’s not God’s way.  God’s way is to be full of mercy and grace toward us.  I’m think people are probably responsible for the pandemic in a whole variety of ways.  I wonder if that means it is within our power as people to end this pandemic as well?

In the meantime, I take hope in clouds that remind me the earth is still turning.  There is beauty to behold if we just lift our eyes a look about us.  God is still with us and is still full of compassion for us even in the mess we have made.  May God lead us in right paths to care for one another and all of God’s world.

Peace,

Pr. Sally