Scripture: Psalm 3

“The psalmist calling Yahweh “a shield around me” makes me think of a force field that renders all attacks useless. Despite being surrounded by thousands of enemies, the psalmist can lie down and sleep in complete safety (v. 5).” –Steve Mann, Fruit of the Vine

Query: Do you need to be delivered from something?

Black Leather and Horse Flesh

Five days before Christmas. No snow,

but the old-fashioned wind was on time.

She swept down Main Street as she did

in the days of black leather and horse flesh,

when she thought she owned the place.

Under the spray of the Milky Way stars,

a boy pedaled away with an elephant,

wrapped as a present, for his new brother.

A baby mouthed a pink elephant’s ear

when the wind finally seduced the new snow

and, in regal authority, to a town draped

in garland and decked out in sparkles,

decreed it a jewel. The kingdom had come.

–Jeffrey Johnson, This Will Be a Sign