00:00Hey friends, today is day three in Mercy Creek, and the New Testament lesson for today comes
00:08from Matthew 6, where Jesus says, Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about
00:18itself.
00:19Each day has enough trouble of its own.
00:24Now, that verse sounds simple until tomorrow feels like it's falling apart.
00:30It sounds beautiful until the bills are due, right?
00:35The storm is coming, the freezer breaks, the relationship is still fragile, the child needs
00:43you, the phone keeps ringing, and you do not know how you were supposed to carry one
00:50more thing.
00:51Jesus never said life would have no trouble.
00:55He said not to let tomorrow steal today.
01:01Now, he taught us to look at the birds, to look at the flowers, to remember that the Father
01:08sees what we need even before we know how to ask.
01:12So today, in Mercy Creek, Jesus teaches that faith is not pretending there is no storm.
01:22Faith is learning who is with you when the rain comes down.
01:29The morning after Sam Miller came home, Mercy Creek woke under a dark sky.
01:38The clouds had rolled in low and heavy, hanging above Main Street like they had something to
01:45say.
01:45At Miller's garage, Hank stood beneath the old sign that still read Miller Brothers Auto Repair.
01:54For years, that sign had made him angry.
01:57Now, it made him uncomfortable.
02:01Because yesterday, his brother Sam had walked back into town.
02:06And yesterday, Hank had not forgiven him fully.
02:11Not yet.
02:13But he had not slammed the door, either.
02:17Sometimes, Grace begins there.
02:20Not with a hug, and not with music.
02:23Not with everything fixed.
02:26Sometimes, Grace begins with a door that stays open one inch longer than pride wanted it to.
02:34Across town, Grace Bennett opened the diner early.
02:39Lily sat in her usual booth with her notebook.
02:44She had written one sentence at the top of a fresh page.
02:48Day three.
02:50The sky looks worried.
02:53Now, Grace looked over her shoulder.
02:56That sky is not the only thing.
03:00Lily looked up.
03:01Are you worried about the diner?
03:04Grace forced a little smile.
03:07I'm the owner.
03:09That's part of the uniform.
03:11But Lily knew better.
03:13The freezer had been making a bad sound all morning.
03:18A deep, uneven hum.
03:21Then a rattle.
03:22Then silence.
03:25Grace closed her eyes.
03:27No, she whispered.
03:29She opened the freezer door.
03:31Warm air touched her face.
03:34That freezer held meat, vegetables, pie crusts.
03:38Everything she needed to make it through the weekend.
03:42And the weekend was how the diner survived.
03:45The bell above the door rang.
03:49Jesus stepped in.
03:51He was not rushed.
03:53Not surprised.
03:54Not wet yet, though the rain had just begun outside.
03:59Grace looked at him and tried to smile.
04:02Morning.
04:03Jesus looked at her gently.
04:06You are carrying tomorrow already.
04:10Grace let out a tired breath.
04:13The freezer died.
04:15Lily added,
04:17And Mom is pretending she is fine.
04:20Jesus looked toward the kitchen.
04:22May I see it?
04:23Grace nodded.
04:27A few minutes later, Hank Miller came in from across the street with a toolbox in one hand and a
04:34scowl already on his face.
04:36I heard the compressor from the sidewalk, he said.
04:41Thing sounds like you gave up and wrote a goodbye letter.
04:45Grace crossed her arms.
04:47Can you fix it?
04:49Hank looked at the old freezer.
04:51Maybe.
04:53That was Hank's favorite answer for everything.
04:57It meant yes if things went well.
05:00No if he needed an excuse.
05:02And don't ask me again until I'm done.
05:06Then the diner door opened again.
05:10And Sam Miller stepped in.
05:12The whole room seemed to notice before Hank turned around.
05:16Sam was younger than Hank by three years.
05:20But life had put more miles on his face.
05:24He stood near the door.
05:26Rain on his jacket.
05:28Hands open at his sides.
05:30I heard Grace needed help, Sam said.
05:34Hank's jaw tightened.
05:36I've got it.
05:37Sam nodded.
05:39I know you do.
05:41Nobody moved.
05:43Then Sam said,
05:44But that old freezer has a cracked relay switch.
05:48If it's the same model from before.
05:51We fixed one like it, no nine.
05:54Hank looked at him.
05:56For a second.
05:57The years between them stood in the room.
06:01Then Grace said,
06:03I don't care who fixes it as long as it gets fixed.
06:07Lily whispered,
06:09Good answer.
06:10Jesus smiled.
06:12Hank looked back at the freezer.
06:15Fine, he muttered.
06:17Hand me the meter.
06:19Sam stepped forward.
06:20Not too fast.
06:22And not proud.
06:24Just close enough to help.
06:27Outside, the rain came down harder.
06:30By noon, Mercy Creek was under a full storm.
06:34Water ran along the curbs.
06:37The power flickered at the pharmacy.
06:40Deputy Reed drove slowly down Main Street,
06:43checking flooded drains.
06:46Pastor Caleb came into the diner with Ruth Caldwell.
06:49Both of them carrying towels from the church basement
06:53because water had started leaking under the back door.
06:58Nora Reyes arrived after a clinic shift with Mateo,
07:02wrapped in a little yellow raincoat.
07:05For a while, the diner became less like a business
07:09and more like a shelter.
07:12People came in wet, cold, tired, and nervous.
07:17The storm had knocked out power on the east side of town.
07:21The school had closed early.
07:23The river was rising.
07:26Grace tried to keep everyone fed,
07:28but every time the lights blinked,
07:31her face tightened.
07:33Jesus noticed.
07:35He always did.
07:37Finally, when thunder shook the windows,
07:40Grace snapped.
07:42I can't lose this place.
07:44The room quieted.
07:46She looked embarrassed as soon as she said it,
07:49but the words had already come out.
07:52I'm sorry, she said.
07:55I just...
07:56I can't.
07:57I have bills.
07:58I have payroll.
08:00I have Lily.
08:01I have a freezer that may or may not survive.
08:05I have people counting on me,
08:07and I'm so tired of pretending I'm not scared.
08:11Nobody rushed to fix that sentence.
08:14That was mercy, too.
08:18Letting the truth breathe.
08:20Jesus stood near the counter.
08:23Grace, he said,
08:26look outside.
08:27She gave a weak laugh.
08:30At the storm?
08:31At the birds?
08:33Grace looked through the diner window.
08:36Under the awning across the street,
08:39three little sparrows huddled together
08:42on the old Miller garage sign.
08:45On the old Miller garage sign.
08:45Jesus said,
08:47They do not own barns.
08:49They do not store enough for every season.
08:53And still,
08:55your father sees them.
08:58Grace was quiet.
09:00Then Jesus nodded toward the small flower box
09:03under the diner window.
09:05Rain had bent the wildflowers low,
09:08but their color still held.
09:11And look at the flowers.
09:13They do not fight the storm by becoming something else.
09:17They receive the rain and keep reaching for the light.
09:23Pastor Caleb whispered,
09:25Matthew 6.
09:27Jesus turned to the room.
09:30Worry promises control,
09:33but gives none.
09:34It spends today's strength on tomorrow's fear.
09:39Grace wiped her eyes.
09:42So I'm not supposed to care?
09:45Jesus shook his head.
09:47No, love cares.
09:50Fear clutches.
09:52That landed in the room
09:54because everybody knew exactly what it meant to clutch.
10:01Hank clutched old anger.
10:03Sam clutched old regret.
10:07Grace clutched responsibility.
10:10Nora clutched strength.
10:13Deputy Reed clutched control.
10:17Pastor Caleb clutched the need to be enough for everybody.
10:24Ruth clutched memories
10:25because her house was too quiet without them.
10:28And little by little,
10:31the storm outside began naming the storms inside.
10:36From the kitchen, Sam called out.
10:39Hank?
10:40Hank looked up.
10:41What?
10:43Sam held a small part in his hand.
10:46Relays burned.
10:48Hank walked over.
10:49You sure?
10:50Sam handed it to him.
10:52Hank inspected it.
10:54Then he nodded once.
10:56You were right.
10:58The whole diner heard it.
11:00Sam did not smile too big.
11:03And that was wise.
11:06Hank looked at Grace.
11:08I have one at the garage.
11:10Sam said,
11:11I can run and get it.
11:12Hank hesitated.
11:14Then he tossed him the keys.
11:17The keys landed in Sam's hand.
11:20And it was a small thing.
11:23But not in that room.
11:25Not after years of locked doors.
11:28Sam ran into the rain.
11:30Grace watched him go.
11:32Jesus said softly,
11:35Sometimes trust returns like a seed,
11:39not a tree.
11:40The storm continued.
11:42But something in that diner had shifted.
11:46People began helping without being asked.
11:50Deputy Reed cleared the drain outside the front door.
11:54Pastor Caleb and Ruth dried the floor.
11:58Nora helped Grace make sandwiches.
12:01Lily kept Mateo busy by letting him draw birds in her notebook.
12:06Hank worked on the freezer without complaining for almost 15 minutes.
12:13which Ruth later said was another miracle.
12:18And when Sam returned with the part,
12:21soaked from head to toe,
12:23Hank took it from him.
12:25Then he said,
12:27almost too quietly to hear,
12:29Thanks.
12:31Sam nodded.
12:33You're welcome.
12:34By late afternoon,
12:36the freezer coughed,
12:38hummed,
12:38and came back to life.
12:41Grace covered her face with both hands.
12:44Lily cheered.
12:46Mateo clapped,
12:47because Lily clapped.
12:49Even Hank looked pleased.
12:52Though we tried to hide it by saying,
12:55It'll hold for now.
12:56The rain softened,
12:59not stopped,
13:00just softened,
13:01and Jesus stood by the window.
13:04Grace came beside him.
13:06I still have the bills,
13:09she said.
13:10Yes.
13:12And the freezer is still old.
13:15Yes.
13:16And tomorrow could still be hard.
13:20Jesus looked at her.
13:22Yes.
13:23She breathed in slowly.
13:26But I'm here today.
13:28Jesus smiled.
13:30And the Father is here today with you.
13:34That evening,
13:35the clouds broke just enough
13:38for light to spill over Mercy Creek.
13:40Not bright sunlight,
13:43and not a perfect ending.
13:46Just a strip of gold across wet pavement.
13:50Grace stood outside the diner
13:53with Lily beside her.
13:56Across the street,
13:57Hank and Sam stood under the garage awning.
14:01They were not hugging.
14:03They were not laughing.
14:05But they were standing side by side.
14:09And for brothers who had spent years
14:11on opposite sides of hurt,
14:14that was not nothing.
14:17Lily opened her notebook
14:19and read what she had written.
14:22Worry makes tomorrow louder than God.
14:26Grace looked down at her daughter.
14:28That's good.
14:30Lily shrugged.
14:32Jesus helped.
14:34Inside the diner,
14:35Ruth poured coffee for Pastor Caleb.
14:38Nora held Mateo
14:40while he slept against her shoulder.
14:43Deputy Reet
14:44wrung rainwater from his hat.
14:47And Jesus looked at all of them
14:50like a shepherd
14:51counting sheep after a storm.
14:53So, here is the lesson
14:55from day three in Mercy Creek.
14:58Jesus does not shame us
15:01for being afraid.
15:03He meets us in the fear
15:05and teaches us
15:06not to let fear become our master.
15:09He does not say
15:11there will be no rain.
15:13He says the Father
15:15sees the sparrow.
15:17He says the Father
15:19clothes the flowers.
15:21He says tomorrow
15:22is strong enough
15:23to steal the grace
15:25God has given for today
15:27unless
15:28we hand it over.
15:31So,
15:32when the storm comes,
15:34do the next faithful thing.
15:36Make a sandwich.
15:38Hold the towel.
15:40Hand over the keys.
15:41Receive the help.
15:44Say the prayer.
15:45Look at the birds.
15:47Look at the flowers.
15:49And remember this.
15:52You may not know
15:54what tomorrow holds,
15:56but Jesus is already
15:57standing with you
15:59in today.
16:01Tomorrow
16:02is day four.
16:04And in Mercy Creek,
16:06Sunday morning is coming.
16:08Eli Harper
16:09is about to walk
16:11into church
16:11and
16:13the people
16:14who learned
16:14mercy in a diner
16:16and
16:16trust in a storm
16:18will have to learn
16:20whether there is room
16:21in the back pew
16:22for a boy
16:23everybody
16:24used to avoid.
16:27Because Jesus,
16:29well,
16:30Jesus is not finished
16:32with Mercy Creek
16:33yet.
16:36my name is
16:37Douglas Van der Graaff
16:38and I believe
16:39in Jesus Christ.
16:41God bless
16:43every single one of you.
16:46Every
16:47single one.
16:49I'll see you tomorrow
16:50for
16:50day four
16:51in Mercy Creek.
16:53God bless.
16:54Bye-bye.
16:55Bye-bye.
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