God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea. (Psalm 46:1-2 NLT)
Sadly, my prayer walk in Dean Woods this morning had to be abandoned because of ice. A thick layer of the slippery stuff is covering every track and path, rendering them impassable for all except those with crampons. However, all is not lost. The Council has kindly gritted the path to the next village, a 15 minute walk. So that was my new route this morning. It was refreshing making my way through the farms of this part of West Fife, past the field with bleating and very muddy sheep, another with steaming piles of pungent manure, waiting to be ploughed in to give this year’s crops an organic boost. To the North West, the Ochils were covered in snow, brightly shining in the morning light with a pink tinge from the dawn behind me. The closed forest environment was refreshingly replaced by an open arable vista. The old was replaced by something new. Change had to be embraced.
But in my prayerful musings, I felt God say two things to me.
- If one door shuts, another will open – if we push it. God may not change our circumstances but He will show us another way to stay close to Him. But we have a choice to make. We either stay focused on the shut door, or we find the open one. It’s up to us.
- It doesn’t matter what is happening to us, God is still there for us. Wherever we are or whatever we are doing He is still “our refuge and strength, an ever present help in times of trouble”. Don’t miss the two words, “ever present”.
So in this time of renewed lockdown, something that none of us wanted, can you hear His voice calling? “Halloooo – I’m still here …..”
Being a Pilgrim 