In the evening!

I noticed a Magpie robin perched in. dry stem at dusk and watched its changing body posture, direction of look and composure of its face. During that five minutes, it was perched in the garden, when the bird movements in the garden for the day was over, gave me an opportunity to observe how a single bird behaves when the time for finding a night shelter has come! Its silence without any bird call was striking. 

Its aloneness was a message that lingered in my mind for a while. 

What is it which makes this bird look forward to the night and the day ahead! A bird too has its attachments and rhythm for the night and the day. It has its own identity and environment to belong to.

And yet, it is anonymously present in a large garden. 

The intensity of attention with which this bird was looking around gave me an indication that its body behaviour was a message of alert presence and anticipation! It has a night ahead before the day break!

The night before the day break is often a long wait!

I listened to a family which has had all the members needing medical attention in a aspen of three months. The ordeal of stress is not yet over as all the three would need further medical attention. Their son needed three hospital admissions in two months. It has made the family depleted of their financial resources and the emotional endurance to cope. 

This aloneness is an experience of many. 

A friend who was a recently diagnosed  with an  advanced disease, is surrounded by his family with a sense of loss! They begin their lonely journey! The fear of the unknown is upon their hearts. 

This river I happened to visit at day break recently brought memories of its sound of its flow in the silence of the morning. It flows bringing its water for the abundance use of others. It preserves the aquatic life and life of all in its banks. 

A river is a symbol of givenness! 

For the bird above, the two families in distress referred above and all those in similar situations, facing the stress of the night before the dawn of the day need  hope that can sustain them. 

The river became a symbol to me when I reflected on these realities of life! The flowing river feeds and nourishes! Its flowing sound is a constant reminder of its presence to all those near it. 

The whisper of God's love and presence is silently present within and around us! 

The two last stanzas of the hymn of Fred Kaan, 'God has set us free for freedom' brought this message alive to my heart:

"Human hearts remain in turmoil

Till they found their rest in God;

He is source of peace and freedom,

Gives us Christ in flesh and blood.

Give us freedom, Lord to serve you,

Show us where we ought to go,

Never resting till all people's 

Cups are full and overflow".

I felt lifted to a new consciousness that aloneness is not the whole truth, but God's companionship is the truth! The flowing grace of His presence to troubled hearts and lonely voyagers!

When the sunshine at day break made the tree colourful, I was further affirmed of the given grace to dispel darkness and cloud of heaviness upon human hearts!

The night assures us of the day break!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)