by Sheila Hamil
This traditional story of ‘The Broken Water Pot’ is fairly well known by now:
A water-bearer in India had two large pots, one hung on each end of a pole, which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it. While the other pot was perfect, and always delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the master’s house, the cracked pot arrived only half full. For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water to his master’s house.
The perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect to the end for which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do.
After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream: “I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you.”
Why?” asked the bearer. “What are you ashamed of?”
“I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your master’s house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don’t get full value from your efforts,” the pot said.
The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in his compassion, he said, “As we return to the master’s house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path.”
Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it some. But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because it had leaked out half its load, and so again it apologized to the bearer for its failure.
The bearer said to the pot, “Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of the path, but not on the other pot’s side? That’s because I have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back from the stream, you’ve watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master’s table. Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house.” (Anon)
To me this story speaks of Jesus being broken for us.
Just like that broken pot, he was willing to be poured out upon a thirsty world, becoming a pure and holy sacrifice on the cross, to rescue us from death, darkness and the slavery of sin, that we might have life, colour and freedom; exactly like the flowers in this story bursting forth from the soil.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. NIV (John 3.16)
But I also want to encourage those of us who sometimes say, “I’m broken, I’m a failure, how can God possibly use me?” to look beyond self-condemnation, and see ourselves as God sees us. . . our true potential, our desire to be of use, our willing hearts and our faithfulness, and to what we could be, if we don’t give way to despair!
If we could but look at ourselves in an imaginary mirror with his eyes, we would see ourselves as we really are.
Simply beautiful!
This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. NIV (1 John 4.10)
Photo by Thomas Bormans on Unsplash
Just a few months away and it will be time to celebrate Advent and Christmas. Let Godspace be a resource to you as you prepare! We have many devotionals, gifts, prayer cards, free downloads, retreats – and more – to offer. Check it out in our shop under the category of Advent!
In Case You Missed It:
We’re Gathering Together A Community Cookbook!
If you haven’t heard yet, you still have time to send in recipes and contribute to our cookbook. All the details can be found in this post:
https://tinyurl.com/GodspaceCommunityCookbook
We Are Embracing the Wild Hospitality of God
Our current theme explores how hospitality is in God’s nature and our nature. From the hospitality of self to hospitality toward creation to hospitality to family and friends, to strangers, toward God, from God toward us – and so much more. Be sure to follow along! We just started a new hospitality Saturday series focusing on hospitality through various seasons.
We Are Exploring Aspects of Hospitality Live!
If you haven’t watched yet, there have been several Facebook Live sessions on our theme and different aspects of it. With more to come – stay tuned for an upcoming Live session in our Godspace Light Community Facebook Group with Lilly Lewin on September 7th and Randy and Edith Woodley on September 21st. #icymi the previous sessions are on Christine Sine’s YouTube channel. Lilly Lewin and Christine kicked things off in this powerful video:
Christine Sine and Elaine Breckenridge discussed Celtic hospitality and more in this fascinating, enlightening talk:
Is hospitality a doorway to the kingdom of God? Come along with Tom Sine and Christine Sine in this video to find out:
How can your garden be a space of hospitality – beyond even what immediately comes to mind? Andy Wade and Christine Sine talk about Hospitality and the garden in this informative discussion:
We hope these bless you!
Do you enjoy providing hospitality? Do you have a go-to recipe you turn to time and again? We would love to hear about it! We are collecting recipes across our Godspace community for our first-ever cookbook. Send your recipe written in your own words, where it came from, and why it’s special to you to godspacelight@gmail.com – if you send 3 or more recipes in, you will receive a FREE digital copy of the finished cookbook! For more information check out this post: https://tinyurl.com/GodspaceCommunityCookbook
Our focus on embracing the wild hospitality of God is changing the way I look at life and at our world. The concept of stewardship, so often used to define our relationship to the rest of creation and one which I have used for a long time in preference to the concept of dominion, still seems inadequate. It gives the impression that we are the ones in charge and are responsible to look after all else that God created. God is seen as an often strict and critical master. There is no sense of mutuality, no recognition of the need to listen to the creation and consult it in what we do and how we steward.
If however I recognize myself as both a guest in God’s world and a host for God’s world my attitude changes. There is a sense of mutual relationship, of intimacy both with God and creation that is quite profound. I am a guest not a steward. My whole life is a generous gift of God’s lavish bounty. Beauty, abundance, joy, generosity and love, all these I receive from God and much more. All these are gifts to me of hospitality and caring. Gifts that I am responsible to share with all the other guests at the table – not just the human ones but also the animals and plants of God’s good creation.
Last week, in her post God’s Hospitality: Hosting and Guesting, Elaine Breckenridge expressed something similar. She asked: What does it mean to behave like a revered guest at the banquet God has created for us on our planet? The word “guest” invites me to consciously tread lightly on the Earth. Being a guest on the Earth has a more intimate feel to it than “being a steward of creation” or “reducing my carbon footprint.” It speaks to me of finding ways to reverence the Earth in the same way that indigenous people do.
There is more to this concept than just the recognition of ourselves as guests. It is easy for us to see God as our host, but God as guest which I talked about last week is another matter. I am both inspired and stunned by the thought expressed by Richard Middleton in his book A New Heaven and A New Earth that our purpose is to transform the whole earth into a fitting place, a hospitable place, not just for humankind to dwell, but also for God to dwell. Can you imagine it? God longs for a beautiful place where all creation flourishes and enjoys abundant provision, a place in which God too feels welcomed and comfortable, able to walk once more in a hospitable relationship with humankind.
This concept has so grabbed my mind that I cannot turn away from it. God not as host but as guest. God longing to be invited to live in the midst of this beautiful, divinely inspired creation once more but waiting for the creation to be restored and our relationships to be renewed so that God feels comfortable here once more.
Andy Wade and I talked about that in our recent Facebook live session when we shared how he transformed his backyard to garden with God in mind. He cut out the straight lines. He stopped using pesticides. He planted to attract a wide variety of wildlife and created contemplative spaces that were not just inviting for him, but he felt also for God. That transformed space did indeed have a strong sense of the presence of God about it.
So as I sit here thinking about this today I realize that each of us has the opportunity to transform our own little space as a place of welcome for God. In the garden it might mean doing away with pesticides and harsh chemicals, but in our lives it means doing away with hatred and discrimination and indifference to other humans and to all of creation.
I want to be a hospitable person. I want others to feel welcome in my home, but I also want to be a person who welcomes God into a space that is comfortable and inviting. What about you? What kind of relationship do you long for with God? Is there one small thing you could do this week to provide a more welcoming environment?
Did you know we have a resource for the upcoming St Aidan’s Day?
Download now for free and enjoy these daily reflection prayer poems by Carol Dixon. This compiled reflection is available now to prepare for the celebration of St. Aidan’s Day on August 31.
Also includes a music download for “A Special Place” by Carol Dixon! Check it out in our shop.
A contemplative service with music in the spirit of Taize. Carrie Grace Littauer, prayer leader, with music by Kester Limner and Andy Myers.
Permission to podcast/stream the music in this service obtained from One License with license #A-710-756.
“Veni Sancte Spiritus”, “Nada Te Turbe”, “L’ajuda em Vindra” Copyright and all rights reserved by GIA/Les Presses de Taizé
“Aber du Weisst” Adapted from a prayer by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, music by Taizé. Copyright and all rights reserved by GIA/Les Presses de Taizé
Thank you for praying with us! www.saintandrewsseattle.org
Editor’s Note: The following reflection has been excerpted from Christine Sine’s post Guests of the World. The accompanying recipe is from Christine Sine’s post Refreshing Drinks From The Garden For Hot Days. We hope you enjoy this series of seasonal hospitality reflections and recipes!
As we entertain and enjoy fun, food and fellowship together, I am very aware that in some ways all of us are guests, guests of God and of God’s world, generously and lavishly experiencing the hospitality of a world that is itself a gift from God. I am aware of that as I pick raspberries in the early morning, enjoying the abundance of God’s provision. I am aware of it too as I gaze on the beauty around me and breathe in the fragrance of God’s presence.
Celtic saints, who saw themselves as hospites mundi, or guests of the world, living lightly on this earth and not becoming attached to possessions or to one location. These followers of Christ, saw all of life as a pilgrimage, a journey towards God. They believed that we live in perpetual exile, constantly seeking after Christ, and our outward journeys are to reflect our inner transformation. In exiling themselves from the comforts of home, pilgrims taught themselves to rely only on God.
The Celts had a saying for those setting out on pilgrimage: “Let your feet follow your heart until you find your place of resurrection.” This was a spot where God’s will for a pilgrim would be revealed and fulfilled. The place of resurrection need not be a famous holy site or a place far away. It could be a simple stone hut, a windswept island, or a secluded valley. The important thing was that each person needed to find their own site.
Recognizing ourselves as guests and pilgrims effects how we view everything that happens to us. Pilgrims and those who travel frequently do not take anything for granted. They learn to be grateful for comforts that those who never leave home take for granted. For a guest, each meal, especially a home cooked meal, is a gift of love from the host. Each bed provided for us to sleep in is a generous act of sharing and caring. Everything is now a gift of God.
So as you go out into the world think of yourself today as a guest of the world and prepare yourself for the amazing gifts God wants to lavish on you today – gifts of friendship, and food. Gifts of fellowship and love and caring. And let me know what new things open up for you as a result.
~ ~ ~
Citrus/Mint Iced tea punch
- 8 teaspoons Loose Leaf red or black tea Or 8-10 Teabags (I like to use fruit flavoured teas)
- l cup (or more) Fresh Mint Leaves
- 8 cups Boiling Water
- 1 cup Orange Juice – or seaberry juice if you have this available
- 1/2 cup lemon juice – or use lemon verbena from the garden
- 1 Orange, Cut Into Thin Slices
- 1 Lemon, Cut Into Thin Slices
- 1 Lime, Cut Into Thin Slices
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup ginger stevia syrup (recipe found below, or substitute with a simple syrup especially for those with stevia allergies)
- 2 litre bottle sparkling mineral water or soda water.
This is a favourite for our summer BBQs & picnics. Put tea & mint in a heat-resistant glass or ceramic pot. Pour in the boiling water & steep for 30 minutes. Strain & refrigerate. Pour into a large pitcher. Add orange juice. Add orange, lemon & lime rinds. Add ginger syrup & mineral water and serve with ice cubes. If you prefer a more lemony flavour add 1/2 cup lemon juice or a cup of lemon verbena leaves to the tea mix.
GINGER STEVIA SYRUP
- 2 cups water
- 1 – 2 tablespoon dried stevia, crushed – I use a mortar and pestle
- ¾ cup ginger root, finely chopped or grated
- 2 tablespoons vanilla
- ¼ cup lemon juice or 1/2 cup lemon verbena leaves chopped
- 1 cup mint leaves (optional)
Bring water to boil. Add ginger & stevia, as well as the lemon verbena and mint if you are using them. Boil for 10 minutes, strain into a heat resistant container. Add vanilla and lemon juice. This syrup will store in the refrigerator for several weeks
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I want you woven into a tapestry of love, in touch with everything there is to know of God. Then you will have minds confident and at rest, focused on Christ, God’s great mystery.
Colossians 2: 2 The Message
I am not a weaver or one who knows how to knit or crochet. I so appreciate the gift of knitting and weaving and those with the gift of needlework! and I love a great sweater or a fuzzy hat! Can you tell I am ready for cold weather? I also love to see the amazing tapestries that have been created throughout the centuries …Once upon a time, I got to see the famous Bayeux Tapestry while on pilgrimage in France . Made to tell the story of William the Conqueror and the Norman invasion of Britain.
Bayeux Tapestry
Tapestries take time
They require patience to create
They are labors of love and skill
They are Art
This verse says that GOD wants to weave us into his tapestry!
I am currently finishing work at retreat where we have looked at how God is weaving us together in community. I have created a sacred space prayer experience and done some atmosphere architecture and worship responses for the gathering. I was inspired to use yarn to help us see how we are all connected and help us consider how God is weaving us into his loving community and inviting us to rest in that love!
I want you woven into a tapestry of love, in touch with everything there is to know of God. Then you will have minds confident and at rest, focused on Christ, God’s great mystery.
Colossians 2: 2 The Message
READ this verse again.
What would it be like to be woven into a tapestry of love? What would that look like?
If you were knitting or weaving a tapestry of love, what colors would you choose?
What colors would you choose?
BRAID THREE STRANDS of YARN
If you have some yarn handy…cut three strands and tie a knot at the end and begin to braid them together.
As you braid your yarn…. ( if you don’t have yarn around, imagine the process of braiding or use something else that can be braided, or grab a woven sweater or other garment and look at the weave up close)
PRAY and TALK TO GOD
CONSIDER what God has been weaving into your life in the last few months. What do you notice?
What does Jesus want to weave into your life in the days ahead? Ask Him to show you.
What do you need Jesus to weave into your life?
Like Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Compassion, Gentleness, Trust, Healing, Hope, Belief, Encouragement, Creativity…
Something Else?
As you braid, or look at a woven garment, listen to Jesus and allow Jesus to show you what he is weaving into your life.
Braid your yarn and ask Jesus to weave his Love and Peace i.
As you hold your yarn or your sweater or woven blanket….
Breathe in God’s Love
Breathe out any fear you have
Breathe in God’s Love
Breathe out your Stress
If you’ve braided yarn, make it into a bracelet to wear or a bookmark to use to remind you of What God is weaving into your life daily!
And don’t miss the second part of this verse….
you are being invited to be connected to God and have peaceful minds ….confident and at REST! Take some time to REST this week…Rest in God’s great love for you!
What is God Weaving into your Life?
©lillylewin and freerangeworship.com
We are collecting recipes across our Godspace community for our first-ever cookbook. Send your recipe written in your own words, where it came from, and why it’s special to you to godspacelight@gmail.com – if you send 3 or more recipes in, you will receive a FREE digital copy of the finished cookbook! For more information check out this post: https://tinyurl.com/GodspaceCommunityCookbook
by Barbie Perks
We’ve spoken many, many times about how the Covid-19 pandemic robbed us of fellowship and community. And how slowly getting back to ‘normal’ life has changed how we interact with others around us.
A couple of questions to ponder:
- Exactly what have I lost during the years of isolation?
- Can I name it?
- Do I miss it?
- Do I want it back?
- What does fellowship look like to me now, compared with 2 or 3 years ago?
One of the ways my husband and I connected especially beautifully was through having an open home, and hosting meals and get-togethers for our friends and church community. He is a sociable extrovert who loves conversations and company. I tend to be on the introverted, happy-with-my-own-company scale. Over the years we learned how to compromise, and you know, hospitality was a wonderful gift from God to us. It was both a service and a ministry, a choice to step out and love in a very practical manner.
In South Africa, the (either lunch or supper) braai (barbecue) is a time-honoured way of offering hospitality. In Iringa, we experienced a Saturday morning ‘pancake’ breakfast where people got together to meet newcomers, or just share their weekly activities and prayer needs. It was a lovely time for us and we determined to do this as well when we returned to SA.
We moved into a retirement village in January, not entirely sure what to expect, but open to what God might have for us in this new season of our lives. There is a fellowship committee that organises a monthly braai, and a second mid-month event. We have built-in hospitality events in our village! How cool is that!! It’s a wonderful way for my husband to get his regular social fix without any work from me, plus church attendance is back to normal.
And yet… the introverted me was missing out. I love to organise and prepare, and I missed the open-home vibe. Last week, a friend was due back from a trip, the airport trip was around supper time, so I said to bring him back to supper with us. Then decided to invite another couple, who it appeared were fetching their neighbours from the same flight, so the invite was extended to them, then to two other couples, and our immediate neighbour. Suddenly I was full into an ‘event’, and sorting out seating, plates, cutlery – and I discovered I was singing! I felt normal again. The earth had tilted back into stability. Wow!!
Jesus shared many meals during his ministry – with close friends, with strangers, with people opposed to him and seeking to discredit and even kill him. Those meals were opportunities he used to initiate conversations, to bring healing touches and words to those who needed it, to laugh with his friends, to restore outcasts to society. We may not necessarily do all those things, but sometimes even the invitation sends a message to the person: we value you and your company.
Think of someone you could value with an invitation to a meal and company with others. Who is God calling you to connect with today?
Photo by Daniil Silantev on Unsplash
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