Thou dost not fall | a prayer from Iona

by Elouise

In 2015 D and I visited Scotland to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary. Ever since then I’ve had a small card on my desk. I picked it up when we were in Iona. The island itself is beautiful. A place that might pass as one of many ‘gardens’ that remind us of reality — gorgeous vistas and displays that capture the good and the not-so-good realities of history both then and now.

The front of the small card shows a vista of Iona basking under a rainbow. Lovely and serene.

The other side contains a small poem/prayer. It captures the realities of everyday life.

As the rain hides the stars,
as the autumn mist hides the hills,
as the clouds veil the blue of the sky,
so the dark happenings of my lot
hide the shining of Thy face from me.

Yet, if I may hold Thy hand in the darkness
it is enough,
since I know that, though I may stumble in my going,
Thou doest not fall.

Note: The author of this prayer is not identified.

I would be lying if I thought this were about life today in the USA. We seem to be disintegrating. Falling apart. Too often refusing to face reality. Or afraid to do so….

In any case, I love reminders that come with rainbows. We haven’t been forgotten. We don’t and won’t have easy ways out of problems created by way of climate change, easy access to firearms, addictive drugs, angry citizens, blood-thirsty leaders, and too many officials intent on putting themselves and their families/friends first.

Which leads me to the prayer above. Not a prayer for everyone in the whole wide world, but a prayer for each one of us. A small reminder that “Thou doest not fall.” No matter what happened yesterday or may yet happen today.

Thank you for visiting, and reaching out your hand in the darkness. Not just to our Creator, but to neighbors and strangers within our gates.
Elouise♥

© Elouise Renich Fraser, 1 May 2023
Photo taken by DAFraser, 2015, Iona, Scotland