A late winter storm arrived, coating everything in sparkling ice. Beautiful, but dangerous. The trees, especially, were affected. Long sweeping branches, usually lifted skyward, were bent low to the ground. Many trees had branches and limbs which had succumbed to the weight - breaking off, crashing to earth.
Usually after an ice storm, temperatures moderate, the ice melts and trees spring back. Not this year, not this storm.
As the bitterly cold weather remained day after day, I wondered if the trees' branches could survive the extensive pressure without breaking. I could do nothing to help - I couldn't stand there night and day, bearing the weight of the limbs until warmer weather appeared. I found myself praying for the trees.
Oh, if only the trees could bear that weight a few more days..until warmer temperatures would melt the ice and set the branches free to spring back up heavenward. Day after day the cold temperatures remained, the limbs bending to the ground. I prayed for the trees, that they could endure. Eventually, temperatures moderated, the ice began to melt ….and all was well.
I was reminded that often we know people, friends and family who are bent under the heavy cares of this life. Maybe there is an illness, marriage difficulties, problems with a child. Maybe we can't physically lift the burdens (like with the trees) but we can certainly lift them up to our heavenly Father in prayer and ask for His help for them. We CAN PRAY - for God's tender mercy to surround them, that God would empower them with strength to bear what has come their way, to lead them out to the other side. Thus, we pray, the most powerful of all things we can do for someone else, as we can watch with them, stand with them, love them and pray.
"Bear one another's burdens." Galatians 6:2
Heavenly Father, please open my eyes to see who needs to be lifted to You today. In Jesus' name. Amen
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