Finding Rest in God's Grace

By Rev. Caitlin Childers Brown

Pastor and Minister of Service & Community

It’s that time of year. Our schedules are in full swing, the leaves aren’t quite changing colors, and our days are feeling full. We’ve got family commitments, football games, meetings, and so much more. Many of you in conversations have expressed similar feelings of tiredness, chaos, or overcommitment so I know you feel it too. 

Before church on Wednesday, Ethan and I spent a few minutes walking around the church grounds with Basil. In part to help him burn off some precious energy, but also to get to spend a few minutes with his sweet smile in an otherwise full evening. As we walked along the trail around the church surrounded by beautiful trees, I could feel the to-do list of emails, organizing, and texts roll off my shoulders. I heard Basil's laughter and the wind through the leaves, pointing me to remember that God’s peace was all around me.

This moment, and this season of the year, brings to mind a favorite prayer by Wendell Berry that I have written out on our wall:

O God,
May I come into the presence of still water
And feel above me the day-blind stars
Waiting with their light
For a time may I rest
In the grace of your world,
And be free.

I caught myself praying this prayer this morning as I drank my coffee and saw the dappled sun through our windows. As I prepared for a busy day of good meetings and a long to-do list like so many of you, reading through this prayer reminded me to appreciate this day and this season as a gift from God. As you go through busy weeks and full beautiful days, I hope you find just a minute or two where the beauty of creation surprises you. I hope you find yourself able to rest in the grace of God’s world and be free.