I read a crime novel which took place on and around a Pueblo reservation. At one point, the main suspect, who’s fascinated with all things Native American, spots an owl flying past her vehicle. She’s delighted, assuming that it must be a good sign. A few pages later, the investigating detective, who is native Pueblo, also spots an owl, and groans. In her culture, owls are bad omens, not good.

It’s funny how the same sign can have opposite meanings to different people. At Jesus’ birth, when the shepherds were visited by the angel of the Lord, they were told, “This shall be a sign unto you: You will find the child wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.” In short, they were given a sign they had to search out and find.

God gave Moses a similar sign when he called him to rescue his people from Egypt. “This shall be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God at this mountain."

God’s signs aren’t prior guarantees of success. They come at the end. That prevents a lot of ambiguity, but it also requires our personal investment. To see the signs of God working in our lives, we need to step forward in faith. When we move forward in obedience to God’s calling, we can look back and see the signs of God’s constant presence with us on the way.

We invite you to join us Sunday morning, at 9:30 a.m. for adult Sunday School and 10:30 a.m. for worship. We’re located on the corner of First and High Street in Steelville. For more information, check out our website at steelvillepresbyterian.org.