Do you feel as though we're in some pretty turbulent times right now?  It's like the country, and the world, are spinning in a downward spiral.  A walk in the park helped to put a lot of what's going on into perspective. 

The sign pointed to a "steep grade ahead", and yet it feels as though we're already sliding down a big hill.  Between the pandemic, the election, losing a job, educating the kids, and visiting family, could the grade really get steeper?  As it says in Mark 5:13, "... and the unclean spirits came out and entered the swine. The herd of about two thousand rushed down a steep bank into the sea, where they were drowned."  Are we going to drown in this misery? 

But yet, we've been here before.  The sign said "prehistoric earthwork", and it was hard not to chuckle.  While it seems like these are bad times, other generations have suffered through many, if not worse, pandemics, elections, social changes, and even wars.  We can look back at history and know that we are here today because others survived it before.  We can also look at our faith and see "... we hold this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing power may be of God and not from us." (2 Corinthians 4:7).  We are God's "earthwork"; we've been around since prehistoric times, and God has always prevailed. 

Further along, the sign questioned whether this was a "fort or sacred site?".  Are we singularly building up a defense or a plan of attack so we can plow through these tough times?  "Or what king marching into battle would not first sit down and decide whether with ten thousand troops he can successfully oppose another king advancing upon him with twenty thousand troops?" - Luke 14:31.  Perhaps instead of erecting a fort on our own so we can conquer these enemies, we should instead choose to be a "sacred site", relying on our good God to make all things right, for it says: "The one who sat on the throne said, 'Behold, I make all things new.'” - Revelation 21:5. 

Jesus, I trust in You.  Amen.

"When I came to you, brothers, proclaiming the mystery of God ..." - 1 Corinthians 2:1 

The GPS led us to a used car lot.  It was not the building, nor the business, we were looking for.  Yet the address of the used car lot, and the surrounding buildings, were in line with where we wanted to be.  We drove around the area and around the area again.  The business we wanted was nowhere to be found. 

One more time around the area.  "There it is!  We found it!"  A nice little building in this dingy little town with a brilliant neon sign welcoming us in.  It wasn't there before, but now it was there.  Once inside, the workers were so helpful and friendly.  They seemed like a band of angels. 

We've been to that area a number of times since then.  We've driven up and down that road on various occasions.  We can't find that building or that business again.  It was there before, but now it isn't there.  What happened to that nice little building in this dingy little town? 

It's a mystery.  It's unexplainable.  It was a miracle.  It was a band of angels.