October 28, 2019

The blistering passage of time can make a person do a double take.  When a tailgate party turns up a college roommate from 30 years ago, one can wonder about the ephemerality of existence. Or just hearing a song from your 16th year of life instantaneously time travels you back to your teenage emotional landscape. “Oldies” radio stations have heavy commercial appeal.

Sometimes our lives can feel like Solomon Grundy, the 1842 English nursery rhyme.

“Solomon Grundy, Born on a Monday, Christened on Tuesday, Married on Wednesday, Took ill on Thursday, Grew worse on Friday, Died on Saturday, Buried on Sunday, That was the end, Of Solomon Grundy.”

Thankfully, our lives are not just a free fall of moments, one following the next on the way to the bone yard, buried on Sunday. (Although it’s true that we will all end up there – see last Friday’s Devotional for more on that subject.) Instead, we are securely cupped in the hands of God. Everything we are and everything that happens to us – good, bad, ugly – is safely housed in God’s grip.

“But I trust in you, O Lord; I say ‘You are my God.’ My times are in your hand; rescue me from the hands of my enemies and my persecutors! Make your face shine on your servant; save me in your steadfast love.” (Psalm 31:14-16)

“O God, our times our in your hand: Look with favor, we pray, on us as we begin another year. Grant that we may grow in wisdom and grace, and strengthen our trust in your goodness all the days of our lives; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.” (For A Birthday- BCP p. 830)