Once again the meteorologists seem to have been correct in their predictions. No wonder all the announcements of school closings were made last evening instead of waiting to see what would really happen. It had just started raining when those decisions were made around the supper hour and was still raining when I went to bed sometime later. Now, with the dawn, we have that combination of heavy snow covering what can only be a frozen base on our roads and the eerie quiet that means no traffic thus far this morning. I pray for all the “necessary staff” folks who are on their way to work because the snow is still coming at what appears to be a faster rate than any plow can match.
Even as I send out prayers for safety and give thanks for the gifts of home and heat, I am once again awed by the natural world that is playing out what may be (we hope) the last gasp of serious winter weather for this season. As I watched the snow intensify over the past hour and the wild swaying of the trees that seems like keening for some reason today, I heard the voice of Isaiah in my head offering a goad to perseverance.
“Even as the rain and snow come down from heaven and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,” says the Lord, “so is my word that goes out from my mouth. It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” (And here is that purpose – the part of the message for this morning that I did not hear but was happy to read as I searched the Scriptures for Isaiah’s prophecy.) “You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace. The mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.” (IS 55:10-12)
And so we wait…