1 Feb, 2008
Punxsutawney Phil is king of the hill.
Punxsutawney Phil is the most famous groundhog in the world. He will be the star tomorrow with the media in Punxsutawney, Penn. As is traditional on Groundhog Day, the furry little weather forecaster comes out of his burrow, looks for his shadow and utters his prediction on how much longer winter will last in "groundhogese."
Starting at 3 a.m. and then waiting until dawn for Phil to emerge and check for his shadow, crowds will find out if there will be six more weeks of winter or an early spring. (You believe this right?)
Punxsutawney has celebrated Groundhog Day since 1887, as depicted in the 1993 movie "Groundhog Day" starring Bill Murray.
photo courtesy groundhog.org & text cnet.news.com, 02/01/08
Do you see His shadow?
Psalm 91:1-2
My Refuge and My Fortress
91:1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.” (ESV)
Why is today's God's Story scripture such a great encouragement to each of us who claim to follow Jesus?
If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, Psalm 91:1-2 is God's promise to you! Our loving Heavenly Father is our safe place in all of life's fears and struggles. The "shadow of the Almighty" is a picture of God's power and protection. Just to be in the presence of His "shadow" is all we need to have enough faith to take refuge in Him and trust Him with every part of our life.
"Groundhog Day" is a celebration that is rooted in a German superstition. Some Germans believed that if a hibernating animal casts a shadow Feb. 2 - the Christian holiday of Candlemas - winter will last another six weeks. The groundhog can go "rest" for awhile. If no shadow is seen, legend says spring will come early.
Isn't it great to rely on truth rather than superstition?
When we see God's "shadow", we can keep resting in Him...all over again...all over again...
- Praise God for His power and protection! If you have strayed from His "shadow", confess it and jump back in! Thank God that you can rest in Him knowing that He has a perfect plan and purpose for you. Tell Him any fears you have right now and allow Jesus to strengthen you. He's always ready and willing.
- Memorize today's scripture. God will use it to keep you in His "shadow".
- Whenever you find yourself in a shadow this next week, let it remind you to take shelter in the Father for all of your needs and fears.
- In your journal, write down your five main needs and fears. Keep praying about them for the next six weeks. See if God changes your heart from winter to spring?
How can we connect today's story, God's Story scripture and our story to others?
This one is pretty obvious! Think of one person with whom you have been in the process of connecting the 3 stories. Ask this friend if they are familiar with "Groundhog Day"? Use the shadow part of the story to talk about how you hang out in the "shadow of the Almighty".
If you need to work on building the friendship more before you talk about your story and God's Story, start by watching the old Bill Murry movie together.
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