Stroll for Your Soul

​Blessings.
Today we continue with our series of inspirational messages that will focus on Homes, as we take time to stroll our neighbourhoods, back yards, parks, or just sit and look out a window. This resource is adapted from, and used with permission from, The Prayer Bench (https://prayerbench.ca/).  Our Habitat for Today :Young calves going into the fields. 

Reflection: Wild with Joy 
"But for you who revere my name 
the sun of righteousness shall rise, 
with healing in its wings. 
You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall"  - Malachi 4:2 (NRSV).
 
I invite you to watch this short video of young calf:
Video- young calf playing

When I (Rev. Gail) first read this message from The Prayer Bench, a friend of mine had just told me the news that his cow had given birth to twins.  How exciting!  If you live on a farm or drive by a field in spring, you just might see newborn calves jumping for joy.  It’s a lovely sign of spring. The baby animals are dashing about and leaping straight up with a sense of complete abandon. They are the epitome of curiosity exploring the new sights and sounds of the greening pasture. 

The prophet Malachi uses the image of exuberant calves to call people to a transformed life. It seems the folk of his day weren’t being good neighbours to one another. It seems timely that we read this now as we still struggle with the recent hate crimes in London. 
Like all good prophets, Malachi holds up images of what needs to change and what will happen if it doesn’t. He also shifts into images of what new life could look like for those who listen – a messenger will come, he says, and there will be a dawning of justice and healing.  In this new day a joy emerges that cannot be contained. In this new day, God will offer strength to the people and justice will rise. This is a message for our time today!

Peace to your house calves. May God cause all to be well with you.

Focus for Your Stroll 
Is it a sunny day? Be aware of the sun rising and warming Earth as you Stroll.
Look for signs of joy around you. What do you see?
Can you find ways to allow these signs to open or soften your heart to the possibility of joy?  
Know that Joy is not a feeling dependent on what is going on in our lives or the life of the world, but a deep current of energy running through the universe. It is a fruit of the Spirit. 

As you Stroll, breathe in joy for yourself, and breathe out joy to bring strength to a need in the world. 
“The joy of the Lord is our strength” said another prophet, Ezra. (Ezra 8:10)

Peace, Rev. Gail