Lately I have been thinking about the power and wonder of the geysers in Yellowstone National park. This pressurized hot mineral water can be relied upon to shoot up from the earth in awe-inspiring sprays at semi-regular intervals. Old Faithful Geyser is, of course, exactly that – reliably erupting within estimatable time frames, as visitors from around the world marvel at its beauty.
But deeper within the park, alongside a road now closed for safety reasons, there are other, smaller geysers. Now, when White Fountain and Great Dome geysers erupt, they are mostly unseen by human eyes, but known to other members of creation that wander through this gorgeous area. And the tiny Young Hopeful Geyser also burbles in this closed-off area.
At times, we may not resemble Old Faithful, but with your help, O God, we can be like Young Hopeful. We can remain hopeful in our hearts and in our deeds. We do not always produce dramatic displays that disrupt the earthly forces that oppose your will. Bring to a boil in us the awareness of your desire for reconciliation, reformation and resurrection.
This message is excerpted from “God of grace and geysers” by Julia Seymour in the September/October 2024 Gather magazine.
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