Close your eyes, breathe, and clear your mind. Be still. Center your scattered senses on God’s presence.
REFLECTION: Written by Deirdre Smith
When I fall onto my pillow anticipating sweet slumber, its soft, down coolness delights my form. Throughout the night I flip the warm side of the pillow, trading it for the cool side for the ultimate in refreshment and comfort. This pillow-flipping of mine is a ritual. What’s more, I often hug the pillow and hold onto it in a tight embrace, as if my life depends on it. I suspect I am not alone. There are others like me, you who seek refreshment and sanctuary, now, more than ever. Of course, there are more obvious, traditional ways to seek refreshment. Refreshment for my daughter no doubt comes in the form of ice cream. Yesterday she begged to stop at a local ice creamery on the way home. Since I had spent the morning cleaning out the refrigerator, a task made difficult by neglect, it wasn’t hard to convince me that I had earned a healthy serving of coffee ice cream with chocolate chips. Pure joy and sweet refreshment! Swimming in the pool has been a lifelong favorite of mine and means to finding refreshment. Although our local pool is supposed to be heated, we question it is so as we slowly immerse ourselves in ice-cold water, but once we are fully immersed and recovered from the shock, we experience splendid refreshment. For others, refreshment or restoration is found in a haircut, a massage, shopping, a favorite beverage, an invigorating walk on the beach, or reading a good book. Netflix is a new one for me; as I write this, binge watching a dramatic series provides escape from daily COVID statistics and voting projections. When I was young, I sat on the carpet with my ears next to a large floor-speaker belting out ballads with Barbra Streisand, Carly Simon, Barry Manilow and the Carpenters. This probably wasn’t good for my hearing but these artists carried me away… As we close this arduous year of pandemic, politics, wildfires and more, we need refreshment and calm definitively. Further, we need refreshment for the soul. May we focus on Jesus habitually and seek to be refreshed in prayer repeatedly. God welcomes us to delight in Him and find refreshment and peace for our souls. He restores us. As we embark on the Advent Season may we find in Jesus’ birth complete refreshment, and may we hold fast to Him, the babe born in a manger, and refuse to let go. He will never leave or forsake us. Let us cling to this promise as if our lives depend on it.
SCRIPTURE: Psalm 23:1-3
The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul.He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.
Pause and meditate on the Scripture.
PRAYER: Written by Deirdre Smith
Lord, you are my peace and refreshment, far better than earthly pleasures and beyond compare. I hold fast to you. You are my Rock and my Salvation— my comfort and restorer in a turbulent world. Amen.
Click on the link to see and hear the music video.
MUSIC VIDEO: Fernando Ortega: I Need Thee Every Hour (Submitted by Deirdre Smith)
IMAGE: Painted by Connie McCoy of our church
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