On September 12, 1971 my parents had just dropped me off to begin my first year in college. I had met my roomate. I started to unpack my steamer trunk. And, buried within the clothes, I discovered a little wall hanging that my parents had placed there. (I still have it!) It was a quote from Louise Garfield Munroe:

Dear God
Be good to me --
The sea is so wide
And my boat is so small.

Well, to quote a frequent call-and-response in an African American worship-style: God is good -- ALL the time! But there certainly are times when that wide sea is rough and stormy, and we are afraid.

Many are particularly anxious during these days of financial turmoil, especially those who are retired or approaching retirement. Many of us have a special need to practice prayer, to remain secure in the hope and confidence that is ours in God.

I think of this stormy-sea passage, from the gospel of Mark:

On that day, when evening had come, [Jesus] said to [the disciples], "Let us go across to the other side." And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him. A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, "Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?" He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace! Be still!" Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. He said to them, "Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?" And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, "Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?" (Mark 4:35-41)

If only Jesus could say to the financial waves threatening our retirement livelihoods: "Peace! Be still!" If only it were that simple. But you're keeping track of the news as well as I am, and you know how complicated this problem is. You know what high-caliber leadership we need, nationally and internationally, to renew peoples' confidence and to bring stability to the financial and credit markets. There is much that is beyond our control, and that's very difficult.

Meanwhile, however, if this is a time of special anxiety, this passage from Mark could well be a passage to pray over. Receive the words of Jesus as addressed to you:

"Peace."

"Be still."

"Why are you afraid?"

Remember: God is good -- ALL the time.