Saturday, December 9, 2023  

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Today’s Hymn

Straight shall be what long was crooked,
and the rougher places plain.
Let your hearts be true and humble,
as befits God’s holy reign.
For the glory of the Lord
now on earth is shed abroad,
and all flesh shall see the token
that God’s word is never broken.

Johannes Olearius’s “Comfort, Comfort Now My People”
trans. Catherine Winkworth
from Glory to God: The Presbyterian Hymnal

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Reflection

Lombard Street in San Francisco is known as the most crooked road in America, and having lived there for several years I know it well. It zigs twenty feet, then turns sharply and zags another way for twenty feet, and does this continuously for about a quarter of a mile. You have no choice but to slow down to a crawl. This can be frustrating if you’re trying to get somewhere in a hurry, but it can also be a blessing to slow down. On this road you are forced to slow down and be present in the moment. Not focused on much of anything other than the road also allows one to observe the scenery a bit more, but you just don’t get anywhere very fast with a crooked road.

Then there are the gently meandering roads I grew up with in southwestern Ohio. These roads have gentle turns that prevent you from seeing what is “around the bend” until you actually get there. Everything seems fresh all the time, because once you make the turn you could see a magnificent valley, farm pasture, or wooded glen. These gently curving roads often give spectacular views and slow you down a bit but still allow you to get where you need to be in good time. These roads offer a balance between enjoying the scenery and still allowing one to get somewhere in good time.

Roads are absolutely straight in southwestern Minnesota where my wife grew up. All the roads are on a grid and run in straight lines parallel to each other for miles and miles with occasional intersections where you can make a hard turn to go another direction on a different straight road. While driving these roads we sarcastically say, “Look out, here comes a turn” when a gentle curve rarely occurs. These are highly functional roads that allow you to get somewhere as fast as possible. My wife would say the scenery is great, but there are few surprises along a straight road, because you can see out for long distances.

Life’s journey contains all these roads. At times it can seem like the most crooked way, not allowing us to get anywhere fast and forcing us to be present in the moment. Other times life is like the gently winding road with fresh new vistas around every curve, yet still allowing one to go forward easily. Sometimes life is like the straight path, moving forward rapidly but with little change in the scenery. Whatever road we are on, crooked, winding, or straight, God is always with us. God’s love never lets go of us and “God’s word is never broken.”

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Prayer
God of the ever-changing path, thank you for your love that will never let me go. Amen.

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Written by John Sherer, Organist and Director of Music

Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

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