O, Lord, I wonder at the witness of your work in all that I see,

And comprehend that you and your word live within me
and reveal your nature in all that I perceive.

In the stillness of the predawn darkness of an early morning
with a half-moon shining through thin, wispy clouds slowly drifting east,
I sense your presence in this gentle peace.

In the strobing flash of a coming storm
with dark shapes starkly formed in sudden silhouettes of lightning’s flare
and low rumblings passing through heavy air,
I am reminded of your great power.

In the soft scent of clover massed in the meadow
and the delicate shape of honeysuckle blooms
barely moved by the feeding of hummingbirds,
I remember moments of quiet and gentle leading
when your Spirit’s touch was light.

In the bright, wilting heat of a savage summer day
when it seems that sweat must stream from every pore
and every muscle sore from brow to toe,
I know that you are the Source of my daily bread.

I hear the calling of coyotes in the distant darkness
and recall that you have comforted me
in every grief and healed my loneliness.

When cool evening air lightly brushes against my face,
I close my eyes in the quiet of this place and sense my coming rest,

and know that you are with me, and I am blessed.


H. Arnett
7/7/23