A Soft Landing

Devotional for Tuesday, June 12, 2001 by Mary Daniel

In a recent visit to a 100-year-old church, aside from all the obvious to evoke one's awe, I was struck by the beautiful needlepointed kneeling pads lying in wait upon the rails. I counted about 94 and each one was completely individualized with its lighthouse, ship, poinsettia, cross, candle, horse, carriage, face of Christ or needlepointed prayer.

Each offered unique and soft landing on what otherwise would have been wood.

Perhaps some of us first knelt in prayer after our baths, beside our beds, as I did: elbows resting on our still-made sheets, little hands pressed together, eyes squeezed shut, a twitch or two of our nose now and then, offering our thanks for the day; maybe reciting, "Now I lay me down to sleep" and/or The Lord's Prayer, our knees anchored on hardwood floors -- some of which may have sported a throw-rug or two for a little softer landing.

Perhaps, too, we didn't think much about the depth of what we were doing, only that we should do it -- and for a variety of reasons -- then ended by asking Him to please bless Mummy, Daddy, relatives and siblings, even in those times when it begrudged us to do so.

Since those early days, our prayers have taken on more depth, our knees landing on a smorgasbord of surfaces and in a variety of places and situations. I say "smorgasbord", for the landing may be hard, hot, cold, crunchy, squishy, soft or soupy. It matters not, for it is the intent and content that counts.

Prayer: To Him who hears our every prayer: Praise be to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. (Ephesians 3:15-19 KJV)

In your name we pray. Amen.

Mary Daniel <marydee@shaw.ca>
Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada

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