I’ve purposefully been avoiding the news, but turn it on occasionally when I need a weather update. I did so yesterday and my avoidance of the ugliness in this world woke me to a striking reminder of the state of our country. I won’t go on and on about the negative news, the innapropriate behavior, the craziness that has become normal, but want instead to talk about the rest of the day.

As I saw stories unfold about mass shootings – senseless loss of life – illegal fireworks being strewn across the streets of Minneapolis on what was supposed to be a celebration of our country’s birth – a neighbor who has been abused and used by a homeless young woman to the point of his not accepting the fact that she is an addict – sadness abounding all around me – friends struggling with life threatening diseases – the words of a hymn popped into my head. “Jesus, Savior, Pilot me.” It’s an old hymn, written by John Edgar Gould (1822-1875), a Bangor, Maine, native who was a composer, publisher, and merchant in New York City. It’s funny how those old hymns pop into my head from time to time. Maybe it’s because I’m getting closer to reaching heaven. Maybe, the songs we learned as children have more meaning to us as we grow old. The last verse of this lovely hymn is as follows:

Though death’s valley I may pass,
Still Thy grace will fear surpass;
In Thy presence I will rest,
And, while leaning on Thy breast,
I will hear Thee say to me,
“Fear not, I will pilot thee.

As those words whirled around in my head, another problem surfaced. Paul and I went to his doctor and discovered that he needed an emergency surgery. I could see my Pilot guiding the entire situation. It took no time at all to get through to the doctor – to schedule an appointment and to get to the hospital for the surgery all within a few hours. The words of that last verse were an assurance that God is still in control, even though everything around me seemed to be falling apart. When we trust in His unfailing love and guidance, we can make it through any storm, no matter how treacherous or hopeless it may seem. Trust in His protection. He is there for us in all circumstances. We can’t change our circumstances, but we can have hope for a much better future when we are guided by the Master.

Paul is recovering well. I know this is just another chapter in our journey together. I am confident that God will use this and everything that happens in our lives, to fulfill His will for us. I can rest in that knowledge.