Believe!

There is a story about an American scientist who once visited the office of the great Nobel-prize- winning physicist, Niels Bohr, in Copenhagen. He was amazed to find that over Bohr’s desk was a horseshoe. It was securely nailed to the wall with the open end up (so it would catch the good luck and not let it spill out). The American said with a nervous laugh, “Surely you don’t believe the horseshoe will bring you good luck, do you, Professor Bohr?  After all, as a scientist — ” Bohr chuckled, “I believe no such thing, my good friend. Not at all. I am scarcely likely to believe in such foolish nonsense. However, I am told that a horseshoe will bring you good luck whether you believe in it or not.”

Even if you do not believe in the luck of the horseshoe, I hope there are things that you do believe deeply. I hope that there are values that serve as a compass for you, and add depth to your life.

Today, I pray that you know and trust God’s presence with you – not to bring you good luck, but to lead you again and again to the water of life.

Our prayer today was written by my friend, the late Rev. Dr. Roger Kunkel. Let us pray:  Loving God of awesome holiness, breathe deeply into us for we come breathless to you… our energy drained, our intentions splintered, our hopes unmet, our faith frayed. We seek words to carry to you the wonders that seize our hearts. We rejoice to be alive! We thank you for the healing of wounds, the gushing of laughter, the cleansing of tears, the easing of shame, the deepening of silence, the urging of stars. So we rejoice that the rhythm of our lives catches the cadences of your grace, and again we are raised by you, to a life with you; through Christ our Lord. Amen.