March 18th, 2021

There is a true story about an incident that happened at a guest lodge in Texas. A guest wanted to chill a bottle of wine, so he tied a rope to it and lowered it from his window into the river below. When he returned to his room a little later, he pulled his bottle up to find it empty with a note inside that said “The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away.”

The full King James version of that verse comes from the book of Job, who after he had lost everything said, “Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” (Job 1:21)

Blessed be the name of the Lord. On Him we are completely dependent. Come what may, we can be sure it comes from His hand.

“Heavenly Father, in you we live and move and have our being: We humbly pray you so to guide and govern us by your Holy Spirit, that in all the cares and occupations of this life we may not forget you, but may remember that we are ever walking in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.” (A Collect for Guidance – BCP p. 100)