Mid-week Devotional:
Week of June 23, 2025
As I walked down our dirt driveway early one morning this past week I came upon the tracks of an earthworm. Evidence of its movement looked like the drawing of a 3-year-old child.
At the end of the tracks there laid the earthworm; alive but still 2 feet from the grass at the edge of the road. It was a warm morning with temperatures forecasted to be in the 90’s. I knew that if the earthworm did not move quickly out of the sun it would die. I bent down, gently picked up the earthworm and placed it into the cool tall grass beside the road.
As soon as the earthworm felt the grass beneath it the earthworm began to move. Instead of stopping to rest the earthworm burrowed deep into its surroundings enriching the soil with its movement; enabling water and nutrients to enter the soil needed by plants and other organisms. God created the earthworm with a purpose and the response of the earthworm was to go and do.
The Bible is filled with accounts of people responding to hardships in their lives by placing all their worries and needs in God’s hands. During each believer’s journey of faith strength and courage came not from any human’s presence but from God’s continual presence beside them.
The author of Psalm 84 writes about the highways to Zion and a valley of Baca. Zion “symbolizes not just a physical location such as Jerusalem but also a spiritual state, a place of refuge, divine presence, and hope.” The valley of Baca is “an unidentified valley associated with weeping.”
(HarperCollins Bible Dictionary and bibledictionarytoday.com/places/zion)
Hear the Word of God from the Old Testament book of Psalms, Psalm 84:5-7a.
“5 Happy are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion. 6 As they go through the valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools. 7 They go from strength to strength…”
This is God’s Word for God’s people. Thanks be to God. AMEN.
All throughout God’s holy word, there are accounts of God’s presence. When each human encountered a difficult time in their life God was present. God was there when they were so tired mentally, physically, and spiritually that they could not take another step forward in their daily lives. God was there guiding them gently when they wandered in their faith and trust in God’s presence. God was there beside each of them whispering words of encouragement. And there were times that God used events in the world around them as reminders of His presence.
My encounter with the earthworm was a reminder to me this week of God’s eternal presence. Thinking about all that the small earthworm accomplishes within the world around me caused me to stop and ask myself…
How many times God has nudged me to go where God has need of me to share my faith through my words and actions and I have not responded?
How many times has someone crossed my path and I did not take time to greet them and acknowledge their presence?
How many times have I spoken with someone and not asked, can I help you… do you need anything…?
God’s holy words shared through the psalmist:
remind me that God is ever present.
I am reminded that each day is a new day filled with opportunities that God places before me to share with those I meet through my words and actions God’s love and grace.
In the days ahead may you also take time to consider the opportunities God places before you each day where you can share your faith through your words and actions.
Peace be with you.
AMEN.