I was sitting in my car at a stop light when I saw her:
an ordinary woman, probably in her 40's,
dressed in ordinary clothes,
standing on the sidewalk,
waiting to cross the street...
I saw her - and I began to wonder:
- What's her story?
- Who knows her story?
- How many smaller stories make up her life's story?
- How many of those stories are happy - and how many sad?
- How many of her own stories has she forgotten?
- Who are the other characters in her story?
- How has her story touched theirs?
- How have their stories touched hers?
(The woman crossed the street in front of me
and the light turned green but my questions didn't stop...)
- What ache or loss burdens her heart this morning?
- What joy is she bursting to share?
- What dreams have come true for her?
- How many of her hopes have been dashed?
- What have been her victories?
- How heavy have been her losses?
- Who really knows this woman?
- Who's happy when she's around?
- Who misses her when she's absent?
- Who loves her and cares for her?
- Whom does she care for and love?
- Does she know you, Lord?
- Does she love you, Lord?
- Has she any idea of how much you love her?
- Does she speak to you in prayer?
- Does she trust that you hear and answer her prayer?
- Does she know your story, Lord?
And then, as you know, Lord,
I said a prayer
for the woman I saw crossing the street...
And I'm so grateful, Lord,
for my experience this morning:
wondering, musing, pondering, reverencing
the profound mystery and the hidden story
embodied in the life of a complete stranger...
And I'm grateful, Lord,
that you know everything about every one of us:
you know our stories inside-out,
from beginning to end - and beyond...
Keep sending your Spirit, Lord,
to nudge me to ponder and reverence the mystery
of everyone I know and meet,
of anyone I might see standing on the sidewalk,
waiting for the light to change,
waiting to cross the street
and wander down the pathways of my heart,
into the prayer and story of my own life...
Protect me, Lord, as I lie awake
and watch over me while I sleep
that awake, I might keep watch with you
and asleep, rest in your peace...
Amen.
Two videos for today's Night Prayer:
the first tells a brief story - I think it's a perfect fit here -
and the second offers a song: try praying with both!
Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in his wonderful face
And the things of the earth
Will grow strangely dim
In the light of his glory and grace
In the light of his glory and grace
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