The Word at Play

Peter Neilson January 03, 2022 0 0

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Psalm 147: 12-20 (NRSVA)

12 Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem!
    Praise your God, O Zion!
13 For he strengthens the bars of your gates;
    he blesses your children within you.
14 He grants peace within your borders;
    he fills you with the finest of wheat.
15 He sends out his command to the earth;
    his word runs swiftly.
16 He gives snow like wool;
    he scatters frost like ashes.
17 He hurls down hail like crumbs—
    who can stand before his cold?
18 He sends out his word, and melts them;
    he makes his wind blow, and the waters flow.
19 He declares his word to Jacob,
    his statutes and ordinances to Israel.
20 He has not dealt thus with any other nation;
    they do not know his ordinances.
Praise the Lord!

At God’s word, the snow and ice freeze into solid pebbles of hail. At His word, the snow and ice melt into streams of water. Every snowflake uniquely crafted. Every drop of water shape-shifting as it flows. Infinite creativity in a winter’s scene.

The Word embedded in creation displays God’s splendour in the passing fragility of a snowflake. God’s ingenuity is seen in the anomalous expansion of water at four degrees so that lochs and rivers do not freeze to the bottom. Mini-miracles melting before our eyes, slipping past unnoticed.

Till now.

PRAYER:

God of melting miracles,

Touch our cold hearts

And thaw that frozen anger

That locks us in un-forgivingness.

Let the warm waters of grace and mercy

Flow over us, and through us again.

God of melting miracles,

Touch hard hearts that lack compassion,

Abusing with cruelty,

Humiliating with mockery,

Stirring up hatred.

Let the fire of your love

Melt these hearts of stone.