The Strange, Awkward and Weird

 

...they said to one another,

       "What is it?"

For they did not know

             what it was.

And Moses said to them,

"It is the bread

that the LORD has

      given you to eat."

            Exodus 16. 15

(We are confronted by

    the unusual, unexpected,

          strange and unwanted.

What in the world is this

   inconvenient, uncomfortable,

 weird package on our doorstep,

   jammed in our schedule,

   growing in our yard,

  or already sitting in our living room?

Sometimes we have no idea

what God has placed 

    in our hands and lives

to nourish and sustain us

and bring about flourishing.

We often don't recognize what

may actually be a visible object

of God's mercy, faithfulness 

         and steadfast love.

We think we know what we want.

God knows what we need.)

O LORD,

Help us to not question

          Your provision,

but to follow You into it.

Soften our hearts

  that we may seek You in it

and know there is not

    just a reason,

but eternal purposes in it,

that we may know You more

      and make You known.