A Long Winter ...
The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard; yet their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world   Psalm 19

There are those sweet mountaintop experiences in life, when even the unbelievers sense that God just might have his finger in the mix. Those mountaintop experiences can be few and far between, and yet God is publishing a silent, wordless sermon in the skies each morning for the entire world to see, assuring us, “I am here, I am with you.”
 
Watching the sun come up over the ocean can almost take your breath away. This winter, the snow has taken my breath away more times than I might have wished – if not in its silent beauty, then in the shoveling! Nonetheless, the glory of God has been on full display this winter. Frankly, it has left me yearning for the thrill of spotting the first robin red-breast- or tiny crocus popping, pussy willows, daffodils, and pansies, all shouting the glory of God – God with us!
 
The mangers have been packed away, at least those that adorned the inside of our homes. However, I still see many Christmas lawn decorations that have been sentenced to stand an extra month or two in the snow. In less snowy winters, the neighbors might have been less forgiving about that. This year, those left-over lawn decorations have become very much part of our winter landscape, and maybe part of that silent sermon that God publishes every morning. The church may have moved on to the season of Epiphany and is busy preparing for Lent, but God is still giving us the Christmas promise of Emmanuel, “I am with you-don’t forget!”

Dear God, For those of us who are not skiers, this winter seems long – too long! Before we head out for the day encumbered with layers of sweaters and scarves, help us to remember with gratitude that you are with us- all the seasons of our lives, especially the long ones that seem to have no end. Bless those who are enduring the endless seasons of illness, grief, poverty, injustice with the gift of hope, through your Son, Jesus Christ, who came to make all things new. Amen.

Contributed by Linda
Sunday February 6, 2011
Liturgical Year A: Week 11
Liturgical Color: Green
Sunday Gospel reading:
Fifth Sunday after Epiphany