Living and dying in the valley of vision

Last Sunday we had two guests with us at worship. A young man and his wife who shared with us a God given vision they had, to go to Argentina to work with the churches there who needed help.
They were going into some more language training this autumn and their house had finally sold and they were off to walk with God in this exciting life adventure.

Then yesterday we received word that the night before, on Wednesday night, he died of a heart attack.

Oh God we don't understand these things. It seems all wrong. But we trust what we've come to know in your character. Be present, be a comfort, be mercy for friends and family who grieve these days.




An old Puritan prayer.

Lord, high and holy, meek and lowly, You have brought us to the valley of vision, where we live in the depths but see you in the heights; hemmed in by mountains of sin we behold Thy glory. Let us learn by paradox that the way down is the way up, that to be low is to be high, that the broken heart is the healed heart, that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit, that the repenting soul is the victorious soul, that to have nothing is to possess all, that to bear the cross is to wear the crown, that to give is to receive, that the valley is the place of vision. Lord, in the daytime stars can be seen from deepest wells, and the deeper the wells the brighter your stars shine; let us find your light in our darkness, your life in our death, your joy in our sorrow, your grace in our sin, your riches in our poverty, your glory in our valley. Amen