The Good Things of the Lord

Original Photo by Author

Bird song woke me before sunrise. It sounded like hundreds of birds in the tree outside my window. I slipped out of bed and peered out the blinds. Pale light illuminated three deer grazing on berries beneath the Hawthorn tree. Coyotes yipped further down the canyon. Cows called calves from the pasture below us. 

With all the noise, I'd never go back to sleep. I dressed quietly and snuck out of the bedroom. 

I let Cooper out the backdoor. Deer exploded in a blur of white tails and tawny backs. Birds drowned out the roar of the two creeks. No wonder they woke me.

An owl hooted from the grove of poplar trees to the west. Another answered.

It rained last night. The wet ground, sage, and pine trees scented the air with a tangy fragrance I could almost taste.

After several laps around the property, I called Cooper in, made coffee, lit a fire in the fireplace, and settled into my chair with my devotions and my bible. Over the last week my readings included the book of Daniel Chapter 3: Sidrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Fitting considering the current state of the world.

For the last few days, when I paged from the first readings, either Isaiah or Jeremiah, to the Psalms, my bible fell open to Tobias 5:13. “… Be of good courage, thy cure from God is at hand.” I pray that is so considering our current war against the virus.

But God’s encouragement didn’t stop there. Psalm 27:1-3, 13-14 was also listed in my readings for today.

“The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the protector of my life: of whom shall I be afraid? I believe to see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living. Expect the Lord, do manfully, and let thy heart take courage, and wait for the Lord.”

Do manfully: follow the guidelines of our health care professionals. Take courage: this will pass. Wait for the Lord: He never arrives too late.

We are seeing the good things in the land of the living now: the people flocking to assist, to help, to pray. Survivors, and there are many. Sunrises. Bird song. Rain. Sunshine. Rainbows.

Thank you, Lord.