an arrow in the trees

(this was written on June 20, 2006, almost a full day after i taught from Romans 5:8 for the Wednesday night chapel at Bethel Christian Camp) you wouldn't believe me if i told you, but i sat down in a rocking chair on the Boat House porch overlooking Lake Urquart to pray about a message i was to give to the campers at Bethel last night, and i looked across the Lake to observe in the trees there, the shape of an arrow pointing to heaven. as i sat down, heavy with prayer and burdened by ineptitude, i asked for no such sign. but as i lifted my eyes to perview the crooning guards of Lake Urquart on the eastern shore, i saw in them an unmistakable sign, which i took as a reminder that although i was timorous about speaking to the children of the subliminal and fantastic love of God, ultimately God sustains control and will act according to his wise purposes. he draws children, inmates, vagrants, and vagabonds to himself with open arms, despite the perceived incoherance of his children. i have visited that same rocking chair on that same porch of that same Boat House several times since and i have yet to see that same arrow in the trees.