A couple of days ago a friend sent me this photo of a finger labyrinth at the cathedral in Lucca, Italy which was built in the 11th century. The labyrinth is on the wall under the portico on the right side. The day after that I put together my spiritual travel kit with the knitted finger labyrinth as an important element. When I woke in the middle of the night a couple of days before we started travelling, I sat in the dark and pulled out one of my finger labyrinths to help me relax and calm my mind. All of this made me realize that finger labyrinths needed to be the spiritual practice for this week and so I adapted this article which I wrote several years ago.
Jesus, friend, companion, lover of my soul,
The One who walks beside me,
Wherever I might go.
The One who hold me close,
When despair lurks at the door.
Who comforts me
When the way is rough,
And I stumble over rocks
I did not see.
Walk with me now,
Through all the twists and turns of life,
When clouds obscure the way.
When what once seemed close,
Now looks so far away,
Walk with me,
Down paths of light
And trails of night,
Help me paint rocks,
To glow in the dark.
No longer obstacles but markers on the Way.
Walk with me till I trust in you,
And journey towards the life,
At the centre of your love.
To be honest when I first read about finger labyrinths while working on my book Return to Our Senses, this seemed a very strange way to pray. Most of the articles I read suggested that the best way to trace out a finger labyrinth is with a finger from your non-dominant hand. It seemed weird but evidently research suggests that our non-dominant hand has better access to our intuition.
Much to my surprise, I found that it really did help me focus and often brought intuitive inspiration when I was grappling with challenging questions. As I “walk” my labyrinth I still often recite the prayer above which is one I adapted from a previous one I wrote for Return to Our Senses.
Since then, I have gone a lot further and allowed the labyrinth to inspire my journalling, my preparation for Holy week and Easter, my problem solving for challenging questions. Sometimes I sketch a crude labyrinth in my journal then write the words impressed on me over the previous few weeks as a pathway for me to follow through the coming weeks. Out of this has come new practices for the following season.
In the Middle Ages, it is believed that walking the labyrinth was often used as a form of pilgrimage for those who could not afford the time or the money to leave their homes for an extended time to walk to the Holy Land. Though this usually involved walking a labyrinth in the church or its grounds, finger labyrinths were evidently used in the same way. People walked the labyrinth with the same intentionality that pilgrims did. The inward walk was a journey toward a closer sense of the presence of God, the outward walk, a journey back into the community, taking the benefits of the walk into the ongoing journey of our lives.
In its simplest form a labyrinth walk is used as a simple form of meditation for individuals and groups. Because it requires no figuring out, one can simply walk, allowing the mind to quiet, and let the body or the finger to take over. We may walk, dance, or crawl the path, doing what the body calls forth; there are no rules, there is no right or wrong way.
Many churches and religious institutions, including Calvin College I know encourage their congregations and students to walk the labyrinth during Lent and Holy Week as a meditative walk toward the Cross – an alternative to Stations of the Cross for many people. Here are some ideas on how to do this and pilgrim paths in the U.K. has produced this excellent brochure for a Holy Week labyrinth walk.
Finger Labyrinths.
Some of you probably noticed that my finger labyrinths often feature prominently in the background to my sacred space. I have 2 in particular that are permanent fixtures. One is an 11 circuit Chartres style labyrinth, so named because it is modeled after the labyrinth set in the stone floor in the nave of Chartres Cathedral in France. The other is a Celtic labyrinth given to Tom and I as a gift for our years of service with Mustard Seed Associates. These labyrinths sit, prominently displayed and ready to be taken down and used whenever I get writers block or puzzle over a challenging question.
Finger Labyrinths for Questioning.
While modern hospitals and nursing homes now advertise large and visible outdoor labyrinths, many more healing institutions are quietly bringing finger labyrinths inside. One simple reason is that many patients are confined to beds or wheelchairs. Finger labyrinths have advantages beyond convenience and accessibility. People use finger walks not just for prayer and healing, but also to get ready for meetings, break through writer’s block, cure insomnia, and for many other reasons known only to them. They provide a legitimate path for questioning and problem solving.
I love finger labyrinths – both walking and creating them and would heartily recommend them to you. They are great because of their portability. I even have one I can carry in my pocket at times. There are many patterns to these so you might like to download a few and experiment with how they might help you find solutions to the questions you are grappling with you. You might just like to color your labyrinth in different colors or write the words that come to you as you walk it along the pathway.
If you have time, create your own finger labyrinth, this is a meditative exercise in itself. Part of what I love is that we can create labyrinths using whatever art medium inspires us. Here are instructions on creating a simple labyrinth, a very inspiring practice I often use in workshops.
One of my favourite set of instructions for making a finger labyrinth is from Heather Plett who has made labyrinth design a piece of art. Other method I have not tried yet is making a finger labyrinth with play dough or out of fabric. Or you might like to use this method which uses yarn, tissue paper and glue to create a very beautiful decorated labyrinth. A fun activity with kids. Alternatively, try knitting a labyrinth . There are lots of patterns out there for knitting. Here is another that looks intriguing.
What Is Your Response?
Here is a simple finger labyrinth exercise you might like to experiment with. If you don’t own a finger labyrinth, download or draw a simple pattern. The whole process of creating your own labyrinth is meditative too.
Sit in a quiet place with your hands in your lap, palms facing upward. Take a few breaths in and out until you feel at peace in your soul.
Recite the prayer above several times and relax into the presence of God
Form a question you are grappling with or use the one I suggested during Lent a few years ago: What am I afraid of? Place a finger from your non-dominant hand at the entrance to the labyrinth. Prayerfully ask your question. Invite the holy spirit of God to guide and instruct you on your journey.
Trace the circuit with your finger. Stay open to whatever presents itself: feelings, sensations, memories, ideas. Pause at any time to breathe, focus on a thought or memory or just to relax into the labyrinth and your questioning. At the center of the labyrinth, sense your connection to your own centre and to the the centering presence of God. Acknowledge the Holy Spirit, the heavenly counselor directing your thoughts and exploration. Relax, pray, sing. Repeat your question and wait on the Holy Spirit to guide you.
Trace your way out, staying open to whatever comes up for you. Now you might like to change you question to What would I do if I was not afraid? When your walk is done, place both hands on the labyrinth, take some deep breaths in and out, and give thanks to God for whatever you learned and experienced.
Godspacelight Community Cookbook
Godspacelight Community Cookbook Digital Download
This downloadable PDF version of the Godspacelight Community Cookbook is filled with recipes created by readers, authors, and friends of Godspacelight. Contributors from the U.S., Canada, Australia, the U.K., Norway, Malta and South Africa provided not only recipes but also lots of fun stories and anecdotes to go with their recipes. These stories are inspiring to read as they give us insights both into the contributors’ lives and their cultures. And the recipes themselves are delicious.
In this episode of Liturgical Rebels, Christine Sine and Forrest Inslee interview Brian McLaren.
A former English professor, Brian D. McLaren was a pastor for twenty-four years. Now he’s an author, activist, public theologian, and popular public speaker. His work has been covered in TIME Magazine, Newsweek, USA Today, The New York Times, Washington Post, and CNN. The author of more than 15 books, including Faith After Doubt, Do I Stay Christian? and A New Kind of Christian, he is a faculty member of The Living School at the Center for Action and Contemplation.
As we look back at 2023 it seems the year was full of wars and mass-shootings, massive floods and unprecedented heat waves. No wonder we all feel an “un-peaceful, uneasy, unwanted feeling” every time we watch the news and end up doom scrolling every time we go online. For Brian D. McLaren, doom is the emotional and intellectual experience shared by all who realize the dangerous future into which we are presently plunging ourselves, our descendants, and our fellow creatures. So, in the face of that dangerous future, what do we do?
Life After Doom: Wisdom and Courage for a World Falling Apart is an attempt to provide a path for all of us, whatever our backgrounds, to process our feelings of doom and let them become fuel for wise and courageous action. Blending insights from philosophers, poets, scientists, and theologians, Life After Doom explores the complexity of hope, the necessity of grief, and the need for new ways of thinking, becoming, and belonging in turbulent times. This book is for those who want to help themselves, their families, and their communities to find courage and resilience for the deeply challenging times that are upon us.
You can find Brian’s blog, social media links, and contact information on his website, brianmclaren.net; his insta handle is @brian_mclaren.
It’s finally June and it just keeps raining here. The creek in my backyard has been running high and fast for at least 2 solid weeks and winds have been bringing limbs crashing down onto power lines and streets – that’s not usual for Seattle! Hopefully Tom and Christine are keeping drier in the UK than our gardens are.
This last week we had some new posts from June Friesen on Thursday and Saturday reflecting on the challenges of moving and staying connected – literally and figuratively! In Why Move Before the Repairs are Finished June reflects on when and how to move – in life, in seeking help, and whether we’re ready or not. Later in How’s Your Cable Connectionshe reflected on the Jonah story – I always remember how funny Madeleine L’Engle thought that story was, but, I never linked it to cable connections before. Lilly Lewin encourages us to add rest to our summer in her FreeRangeFriday: Make Rest A Part of Your Summer To Do List. There are so many reasons to prioritize rest – practical, holy, sacred reasons. Christine sent along a Meditation Monday about Malmesbury Abbey sharing pictures, reflections and a prayer not to mention some interesting history. Yesterday in Pondering the Cost of Peace Carol Dixon shared some thoughts in the form of a liturgy just in time for the anniversary of D-Day this Thursday, June 6.
Today we released the ninth episode in Christine’s Liturgical Rebels podcast, an interview with Brian McLaren by both Christine and Forrest Inslee. Brian is the author of Life After Doom and has much to say about civilization and church, hope and doom, ecological overshoot and what’s next. Please give it a listen, and as always, please share freely in your social media networks if you’re so inclined. Bringing more people in keeps the work going!
Peace,
Melissa Kelly
for Godspacelight
by Carol Dixon
With the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings on the beaches of Normandy coming up I have been thinking about the cost of peace and how those of us who pray for peace can still be proud of those who serve in war, past and present. So when I was asked to put together a service to reflect on this, I thought of all those who have served their country in defending their right to live in freedom and peace down the ages. The opening music is the words of St Ignatius of Loyala, the Basque soldier who became a saint and one of the best versions I know is the song by my friend (and fellow godspacelight.com writer) Revd Sheila Hamil.
St Ignatius’ prayer: Teach me to serve https://youtu.be/trgICOmRnyU?feature=shared
St Ignatius, soldier, sinner,
One of the earliest prayers written down in old English is attributed to King Alfred the Great who ruled the southern part of Britain from 849-899. After ascending the throne, Alfred spent several years fighting Viking invasions. He won a decisive victory in the Battle of Edington in 878 and made an agreement with the Vikings, dividing England between Anglo-Saxon territory and the Viking-ruled Danelaw, composed of Scandinavian York, the north-east Midlands and East Anglia. Alfred also oversaw the conversion of Viking leader Guthrum to Christianity. He defended his kingdom against the Viking attempt at conquest, becoming the dominant Anglo-Saxon ruler in England. The following prayers are said to have been those he prayed before his decisive battle against the Vikings.
Lord God Almighty, shaper and ruler of all creatures,
we pray for your great mercy,
that you guide us towards you,
and guide us to your will, to the need of our soul.
Steadfast our minds towards you, strengthen us
against the temptations of the devil
and put far from us every unrighteousness.
Shield us against our foes, seen and unseen.
Strengthen us in battle and give us the grace
to show mercy to our enemies; may we always
stand up for righteousness in your name
and follow in the ways of goodness and truth.
Teach us to do Your will, that we may love you
before all things, with a pure mind,
for you are our maker and our redeemer,
our help, our comfort, our trust, our hope.
O God, the Father of your dear Son
who awakened us and exhorts us
to we become Yours alone, to you we pray,
who are the supreme truth, for all is from you.
O Lord, who are the highest wisdom,
you are the supreme joy,
and from you all have become happy.
You are the highest good,
and from you all beauty springs.
You are the light, and from you
Mankind derives his understanding.
To you, O God, we call and speak. Hear us, O Lord,
for You are our God and our Lord,
our father and our creator,
our ruler and our hope, our wealth and our honour,
our home, our country, our salvation, and our life;
Few of Your servants comprehend you,
but at least we love you and love you
above all other things.
We seek you, we follow you,
we are ready to serve you.
Under your power we desire to abide,
for you are the Sovereign of all.
Praise and glory be to you now,
ever and ever, world without end.
We pray through Jesus Christ
your Son, our Lord. Amen
King Alfred the Great
Bishop Asher, who wrote a biography of Alfred in the 9th Century was very proud of all that Alfred had achieved in uniting the south and west of England as a Christian state and keeping a large part of the country free from their enemies. So is it OK I wonder to be proud of our own and others’ achievements?
One of the people in the New Testament who had plenty to be proud of was St Paul. In fact all the things he was proud to have endured read like a roll of honour. As he said of himself (2 Cor 11:24-28) Five times I received thirty nine at the hands of the Jews. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea. 26 On frequent journeys, I was in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false friends; 27 in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food] in cold and exposure; yet through it all God sustained me.
Paul was particularly proud of his ministry to the Corinthians – he was the first apostle to visit them with the good news of Jesus but after he left to continue his ministry elsewhere others arrived boasting about everything they had done and giving Paul none of the credit so Paul wrote to the Corinthians to set the record straight. Yet as Paul rightly said although he was proud of what he had done, it was God who really should have the credit and if God was gloried then he was happy, This is how he describes it:
Reading: 2 Corinthians 10:13-18 Boasting in Christ (New Living translation (New Living translation)
13 We will not boast about things done outside our area of authority. We will boast only about what has happened within the boundaries of the work God has given us, which includes our working with you. 14 We are rightly proud of the work God has given us among you and are not reaching beyond these boundaries when we claim permission to lead you. It is not as if we had never visited you. For we were the first to travel all the way to Corinth with the Good News of Christ.
15 Nor do we boast and claim credit for the work someone else has done. Instead, we hope that your faith will grow so that the boundaries of our work among you will be extended. 16 We will be able to go and preach the Good News in other places far beyond you, where no one else is working. Then there will be no question of our boasting about work done in someone else’s territory. 17 As the Scriptures say, “If you want to boast, boast only about the Lord.” 18 When people commend themselves, it doesn’t count for much. The important thing is for the Lord to commend them.
Hymn 428 I’m not ashamed to own my Lord https://youtu.be/rmhi2_10Dko?si=e9vkxtDMB8o35P2r
Although St Paul is against unnecessary boasting he made it clear that it’s fine to be rightly proud of our and others’ achievements. I’m proud to be Northumbrian, I’m proud of my grandchildren, I’m proud that I wrote a book. Sometimes we’re proud of things that have nothing to do with us – for example if our team wins the cup. We’re not often encouraged to say we are proud of our abilities yet it’s good sometimes to be pleased with things we and other people have done and not wallow in false modesty. Of course we shouldn’t boast about it all the time or lord it over others (as Paul’s opponents did). So what are you proud of I wonder? You might like to think about some of your abilities or achievements and thank God for all the gifts he has given you……..
One of the people I’m very proud of is my dad. He was a quiet ordinary Scotsman who loved and cared for his wife and family, often taking on extra work to make ends meet. He was content with what he had and happy in his own skin as they say. Yet in his youth, like many of his generation he was called to take on the difficult task, along with his fellow Gordon Highlanders, of liberating France, Belgium, Holland and Germany from the oppressive rule of Hitler in WW2 and bring peace to war-torn countries. Tomorrow is D Day when we’ll be thinking of the Normandy landings (Dad landed at Arromanches on D-Day plus 6). He was the last person to want to be thanked for his service – in fact he was very embarrassed when an elderly Dutch lady visiting our house for tea many years ago rushed to shake his hand and thanked him profusely, telling him that he and his fellow soldiers were heroes for liberating their village from such an oppressive regime.
I don’t often commemorate war in my services. I’d much rather celebrate peace. But today I decided to use the prayers of intercession from the service for 80th anniversary this year of the D- Day landings. These prayers will be used in churches in this country and across the world and at the battlefield services in France. I want to use them today as a thank you to all the ordinary men and women who did extraordinary things so that we could live in freedom. I’m proud of them all.
To lead us into our prayers we’re going to hear a song by Aled Jones and Russell Watson (accompanied by an amazing photo of sand sculptures published in the Independent.)
Prayers for the anniversary of D Day
Holy God, protector of all who trust in you and all who seek you,:
Grant to those who serve in the defence of our country,
the assurance of your presence, the knowledge of your love,
and the guidance of your Spirit.
Bring healing and wholeness to people and nations:
let your mercy rule all that we do.
Be with all who defend your truth and your peace,
that they may vanquish injustice and wrong.
Give wisdom we pray to leaders and commanders,
that they may be a force for good on the earth.
In your wisdom embrace our enemies,
and those who wish us harm:
turn, the hearts of all to kindness and friendship.
We pray for countries currently at war,
Thinking especially of Ukraine and Russia
And of Israel and Palestine,
And all who suffer from oppression and terror.
Be with all medics and chaplains,
and all who support the suffering:
give then wisdom and skill, sympathy and patience.
Sustain the anxious and fearful,
and renew them with courage and hope.
Comfort all worried families, whose loved ones are in danger:
surround them with your love, protect them from all harm.
Be with the sick and wounded,
stand by all prisoners and captives:
let your mercy be shown to all, and your power to heal and save.
Loving God in your mercy receive those fallen in battle,
and all innocents who have died:
surround their loved ones with compassion,
and give them a patient faith.
Confirm what is founded on truth,
and establish your love in our hearts:
that justice may abound on the Earth,
and all peoples rejoice in your peace.
We offer all our prayers in the name of Jesus,
The Prince of Peace as we say together
The prayer he taught us: Our Father…
Hymn 477 Let there be love shared among us (NB. For ‘this nation’ replace with ‘all nations’)
https://youtu.be/D-nSMfD2BCc?si=05Zz36AVJv9Rrfzs
The Peace: May the peace of God that passes all understanding keep guard over our hearts and minds in Jesus our Lord. And the blessing of God, Creator, Redeemer and Enlivener be with us this day and always.
Men from 51st Battalion Gordon Highlanders [including my dad, Pte P Turpie standing on left beside bike]
Time to Heal Online Course
There is so much pain and suffering in our world at the moment, but it is time to heal. This course will show how creativity, imagination and reflective exercises can help us address our grief and provide balm for our souls. For more details and information about this course, check out the descriptive outline and introduction video below.
This course is offered with 180 days of access so you can move through the material at your own pace.
by Christine Sine
Yesterday I sat in Malmesbury Abbey looking up at the beautiful old stone pillars and vaulted ceilings. I reached up and ran my hand over the stones that have weathered many a storm since they were built in the 12th century.
“ If these stones could speak I wonder what they would say?” I mused. The whole abbey felt like a thin space, the stonework infused with the myriad of liturgies and songs that have resounded throughout the sanctuary since it was built.
Malmesbury Abbey ceiling
What amazed me was the creative innovation that was a part of this abbey community throughout its life, starting in 675 when the first abbey was built on this site. An abbot named Aldhelm led a small group of monks who worked and prayed and followed the Benedictine Rule while they built. Aldhelm, known as the minstrel monk, was a renown poet, singer, song-writer, traveller, theologian and architect. He was very good at sharing his faith and persuaded townsfolk to worship by singing and entertaining them at Malmesbury’s town bridge. Talk about creative.
King Athelstan’s memorial
One of the people greatly influenced by St Aldhelm’s teaching was Athelstan, grandson of Alfred the Great, and crowned First King of All England in 937. He commissioned the Gospels to be translated into the vernacular (Old English) so that ordinary people could hear the Good News of God’s love in a language they could understand. He was buried in Malmesbury Abbey and his tomb still attracts pilgrims from all over the world. Wow. How many of us knew that the Gospels were made available to the common people of England so long ago.
At the end of June another innovative endeavour will begin as a new pilgrimage route, which will eventually link all 36 historic Anglican churches in the North Wiltshire Deanery, will be opened. Historian and patron for the Athelstan Pilgrim Way, Tom Holland, host of The Rest is History podcast, champions Athelstan as the greatest of English monarchs. He comments:
Pilgrimage, and with it an embodied prayer life, both of which we know Athelstan pursued, were an expression of that profoundly felt need for spiritual succour and direction. We’ve lost something of the language for it today, but I’m excited as Patron to support this modern endeavour to rediscover the significance and resonance of pilgrimage. across Wiltshire field and track, may following in his footsteps because pilgrimage indeed.
Stone pillars Malmesbury Abbey
I think that the resonance of pilgrimage hums within the walls of the Abbey and the other churches that date back a thousand years into the past. If the walls could speak they would speak of wars and plagues and disagreements but even more loudly of strong faith, life giving spiritual rhythms, the incredible love of God and a spirituality that changed the lives of so many across this country and around the world.
Can you imagine the impact the communities of faithful people who have worshipped here have had? There is still a Community of St Aldhelm, established in 2016, who seek to follow God more closely by keeping a Rule of Life based around a rhythm of Daily Prayer. Members try to be intentional about setting time aside for spiritual reflection, together and separately and explore together what it means to live more fully as a community even though they aren’t living together in a community house.
Alone we can do little but together, across time and space we can change the world.
Side chapel Malmesbury Abbey
St Aldhelm’s Blessing
Therefore let us all, snatched from danger,
give thanks with gratitude to Christ who reigns forever.
Glory be to the unbegotten God,
and to the begotten Son
together with the Holy Spirit
ruling all ages beyond;
The blessing of God Almighty,
the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,
be among you and remain with you always.
Amen
by June Friesen
Recently I have been spending time studying and reading about Jonah? This has also been
during the time that we have moved to a new residence. Sometimes it is interesting how
God times our life experiences with different passages of Scripture. And during this time
the book of Jonah was on the radar for my sermon series. Jonah was a prophet for God to
the people of Israel. We do not know much about the work he did before or after the book
of Jonah but there definitely is some lessons one can learn for our own lives even today. A
prophet is defined in the Oxford dictionary as:
‘a person regarded as an inspired teacher or proclaimer of the will of God’.
We know that there were many prophets in the Old Testament who had messages to
deliver and work to do for the people of God. Some of them, Jonah was one, also were
asked to deliver messages to people around the Israelite nation. Many if not all of us have
heard the story of Jonah at least once in our lifetime. For some of us it may have had a
greater impact than for others. As I was reading and studying about Jonah the last couple
of weeks for some reason I thought of this phrase – ‘Jonah lost his cable connection’ – his
cable connection being his close relationship with God. Because of that lost connection he
ended up in the bottom of a sea – AND – it was in the belly of a large fish that he found the
cable/GPS connection once again.
Jonah 1 – 2
1-2 One day long ago, GOD’s Word came to Jonah, Amittai’s son: “Up on your feet and
on your way to the big city of Nineveh! Preach to them. They’re in a bad way and I can’t
ignore it any longer.”
3 But Jonah got up and went the other direction to Tarshish, running away from GOD. He
went down to the port of Joppa and found a ship headed for Tarshish. He paid the fare
and went on board, joining those going to Tarshish—as far away from GOD as he could
get.
4-6 But GOD sent a huge storm at sea, the waves towering.
The ship was about to break into pieces. The sailors were terrified. They called out in
desperation to their gods. They threw everything they were carrying overboard to lighten
the ship. Meanwhile, Jonah had gone down into the hold of the ship to take a nap. He was
sound asleep. The captain came to him and said, “What’s this? Sleeping! Get up! Pray to
your god! Maybe your god will see we’re in trouble and rescue us.”
7 Then the sailors said to one another, “Let’s get to the bottom of this. Let’s draw straws to
identify the culprit on this ship who’s responsible for this disaster.”
So they drew straws. Jonah got the short straw.
8 Then they grilled him: “Confess. Why this disaster? What is your work? Where do you
come from? What country? What family?”
9 He told them, “I’m a Hebrew. I worship GOD, the God of heaven who made sea and
land.”
10 At that, the men were frightened, really frightened, and said, “What on earth have you
done!” As Jonah talked, the sailors realized that he was running away from GOD.
11 They said to him, “What are we going to do with you—to get rid of this storm?” By this
time the sea was wild, totally out of control.
12 Jonah said, “Throw me overboard, into the sea. Then the storm will stop. It’s all my
fault. I’m the cause of the storm. Get rid of me and you’ll get rid of the storm.”
13 But no. The men tried rowing back to shore. They made no headway. The storm only got
worse and worse, wild and raging.
14 Then they prayed to GOD, “O GOD! Don’t let us drown because of this man’s life, and
don’t blame us for his death. You are GOD. Do what you think is best.”
15 They took Jonah and threw him overboard. Immediately the sea was quieted down.
16 The sailors were impressed, no longer terrified by the sea, but in awe of GOD. They
worshiped GOD, offered a sacrifice, and made vows.
17 Then GOD assigned a huge fish to swallow Jonah. Jonah was in the fish’s belly three days
and nights.
Then Jonah prayed to his God from the belly of the fish.
He prayed:
“In trouble, deep trouble, I prayed to GOD.
He answered me.
From the belly of the grave I cried, ‘Help!’
You heard my cry.
You threw me into ocean’s depths, into a watery grave,
With ocean waves, ocean breakers crashing over me.
I said, ‘I’ve been thrown away, thrown out, out of your sight.
I’ll never again lay eyes on your Holy Temple.’
Ocean gripped me by the throat. The ancient Abyss grabbed me and held tight.
My head was all tangled in seaweed at the bottom of the sea where the mountains take
root. I was as far down as a body can go, and the gates were slamming shut behind me
forever—
Yet you pulled me up from that grave alive, O GOD, my God!
When my life was slipping away, I remembered GOD,
And my prayer got through to you, made it all the way to your Holy Temple.
Those who worship hollow gods, god-frauds, walk away from their only true love.
But I’m worshiping you, GOD, calling out in thanksgiving!
And I’ll do what I promised I’d do!
Salvation belongs to GOD!”
10 Then GOD spoke to the fish, and it vomited up Jonah on the seashore.
I know that was a large portion of Scripture however it tells the story so perfectly. We see
in the beginning verses that Jonah just cut off communication with God. Then he made a
run for it. He did not even want to be in the land where he knew God was in charge for the
most part. He would go to a foreign country and no one would ever know what happened
to him. When the storm came at sea he figured out that it was his fault and admitted it to
the sailors. However, he in no way acknowledged that God really had anything to do with
the storm to the sailors. When he drew the short straw he did not want to deal with it –
well he did not want to deal with God. It would be better to just end his life – be thrown
overboard and die – ….. But just like God is known to do He got that GPS system up and
working even in the bottom of the ocean as well as in the belly of a big fish. WHOA! And
not only that, Jonah got the message from God loud and clear the second time – loud and
clear enough that this time he got up and went as soon as he was on dry land again.
Jonah’s GPS system was up and functioning now.
How is it with you and I and our connection with God?
Maybe the words from Psalm 40 will resonate with you.
Psalm 40:3-5
40 1-3 I waited and waited and waited for GOD.
At last he looked; finally he listened.
He lifted me out of the ditch, pulled me from deep mud.
He stood me up on a solid rock to make sure I wouldn’t slip.
He taught me how to sing the latest God-song, a praise-song to our God.
More and more people are seeing this: they enter the mystery,
abandoning themselves to GOD.
4-5 Blessed are you who give yourselves over to GOD, turn your backs on the world’s “sure
thing,” ignore what the world worships;
The world’s a huge stockpile of GOD-wonders and God-thoughts.
Nothing and no one compares to you!
I start talking about you, telling what I know, and quickly run out of words.
Neither numbers nor words account for you.
Sometimes in our lives these words can be exactly what we feel. We feel as if God has been
ignoring us, not listening to the prayers we are praying, not providing for us as we think
He should, etc. There have been times in my life when I have indeed felt as if the words
that I was praying were indeed just words and nothing more. At times I have felt as if I
was the only one hearing the words I was praying – or if there were people around –
maybe they were hearing them but there sure were no answers coming to my prayer(s).
For some reason it just seems as if one’s connection with God is failing. Have you ever had
a time that you are waiting for something or for someone to arrive only to find out that the
message you may have sent was either not sent and/or not received. I have had that
happen – for some reason I forgot to push the send button or put a stamp on a letter –
sometimes I think I also pray for something and give little thought to what God may think
about the prayer. I have even heard and probably have done it myself – demand that God
do something.
And then there are other times when we feel God’s presence around us as we are praying –
we feel Him at work within us as we are praying – we may even see Him working around
us even in the midst of our praying. Can I explain or give a reason for any one of the
situations? Very likely not – or at least not until later.
Lord: please help me keep the cable connection with You plugged in. Help me to
remember to inspect it from time to time to make sure You and I have clear
communication. Help me hear when You call to me – but not only hear but respond by
listening and being willing to answer You. Help me to also carry any messages You may
give me for others so they will not miss out on Your call to them. Thank You God for the
opportunity to receive calls from You but even more thank You for also answering any
time and every time that I or anyone else calls You. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Photos property of June Friesen. The last photo was taken by my mother.
Scripture from The Message translation.
I talk about REST a lot because I am so bad at it! I have been sick with some crud for the past 10 days. I thankfully don’t get sick very much but this thing got me. I really needed to rest but I fought it almost everyday. In the midst of this, my dad is in the hospital after emergency abdominal surgery. Dad will be 95 in July. Dad doesn’t do rest well either, but in the last year as he’s slowed down due to aging, I reminded him that Jesus took naps and that REST is HOLY! This is my favorite hashtag! #RESTisHOLY
We were given the greatest gift by God, the gift of REST.
Which brings me to the new month and new season we are entering…SUMMER here in the Western Hemisphere. Sadly here in America, we often get busier in the summer not less busy! Too often REST isn’t a part of our summer practice or on our summer TO LISTS. My dad was a great summer to do list guy, but the list he usually gave us kids was enough for a few years, not a few weeks in summer. He had us painting fences and bushhogging the fields when we’d have rather been sleeping late and resting.
Did you know that there are actually SEVEN kinds of rest that we all need? Check out the article here.
Saundra Dalton-Smith MD has a great ted talk and book about these SEVEN:
- Physical rest.
- Mental rest.
- Emotional rest.
- Sensory rest.
- Creative rest.
- Social rest.
- Spiritual rest.
As you read this list which one jumps out at you as something you need? Maybe you need more than one!
When you think of Summer, what comes to mind? Is REST on your radar? How can REST be a part of your next season?
What are the sights, sounds, smells, tastes of summer? What are the memories of summer that make you smile? Spend time thanking God for these things!
What do you wish your summer could look like? What would a perfect summer be for you?
Where would you like your relationship with Jesus to be by September? Take time to pray and journal about this.
What if you and your community had a plan to intentionally grow closer to Jesus this summer?
What if you could open a gift each week… like the gift of rest, or the gift of play, or the gift of gratitude?
We created the Gift of a Sacred Summer just for you!
sacred summer
Open the gifts this Summer!
It’s a downloadable kit which features a 5 minute and 15 minute practice for each Gift of Summer, going deeper activities, and journaling questions that you can do on your own or with your family and friends. There are coloring sheets to use with each gift, liturgies, discussion questions, and social media graphics for churches and youth groups to use.
THE GIFTS are: Silence, Rest, Gratitude, Nature, Justice, Love, Play, Create and a bonus week on Grief to help us all process this past year.
You can do a few weeks or all of them! They aren’t in a certain order, so you can create what works for you and your family/church’s schedule. My good friends and FreerangeWorship teammates, Joanna Cummings and Edward Goode, both pastors, helped write the gifts and we are all excited to see how people “open” them this summer!
So consider how you want to draw closer to Jesus in the weeks ahead… What are the things that help you connect with God? What are the distractions that you want to avoid? What supplies do you need? A new journal perhaps? Or to make a comfy spot to pray in? Talk to Jesus about this. Talk to your family, small group, or housemates about what might be possible this summer. And whatever you choose, choose to REST in the love of JESUS. He is holding you close and inviting you to REST IN HIM and WITH HIM!
And check out THE GIFT OF A SACRED SUMMER and our RETREAT!
Make time for Jesus this summer!
Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you.Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” Jesus. Matthew 11: 28-30 The Message
©lillylewin and freerangeworship
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