post and photos by Rodney Marsh,
Pentecost and Trinity Sundays mark the beginning of winter where I live and, like Christine, I photographed the above flowers on Pentecost weekend. These flowers are two of many local flowering plants, like many types of wattles, that begin to flower March to May, when the rainy season starts. Their flowering season will last through to December. This Pentecost it was the eucalypts that spoke to me.The flowers above (E. caesia & E. macrandra) form on small trees (2-3 metres, 6-9ft).
This Silver Princess is in our front garden and it flowers most of the year. The photo at the top of the page shows one bud of the Silver Princess yet to shed it’s cap to reveal the beautiful red flower. The cap looks rather plain beside the flowers that have shed their caps to reveal their brilliant red stamens. Many varieties of honey eating birds love these flowers. The adjacent photo shows the beautiful nuts that hang on the branches all year, whilst other branches are flowering.
The right hand photo at the top of the page shows a flowering moort (E. macrandra). The photo was taken in local bush and shows one of the buds yet to shed its ‘long fingered’ cap to reveal its yellow stamens. The adjacent photo shows the buds of the flowering moort before flowering. They may look nondescript but remove the cap and the brilliant lemon flower will burst forth. These buds were removed by one of the many parrots who feed on the seeds within the large nuts.
These flowers tell me that despite what Gerard Manly Hopkins calls the ‘crushing’, utilitarian exploitation of nature, he says, “nature is never spent; there lives the dearest freshness deep down things”. Wherever we live in the world, flowers and all things, shine forth, giving praise and glory to God by their beauty. Observing nature, and all created things, is a spiritual practice, and it requires attention to these ‘deep down things’. This means we must remove our attention from our thoughts and feelings and direct our senses to the ‘other’ where God is found.
The word ‘eucalyptus’ means ‘beautiful cap/hat’ and refers to a unique characteristic that all trees in the genus Eucalyptus share – the presence of the ‘flower cap/hat’. Look again at the hats on the buds of E. caesia and E. macrandra on the topmost photos. When the ‘hat’ or ‘cap’ of the flower falls off, the beautiful stamens are revealed. In the season of Pentecost the shedding of these hats became for me, a metaphor for the gift of the Spirit. So, on the day of Pentecost, when the ‘cover’ of the Spirit was removed, the beauty and power of the Spirit burst forth. In secret, the flower of the Spirit was forming when Jesus was with his friends, then the cap was removed and the ‘the grandeur of God’ flamed out ‘like shining from shook foil’ (Hopkins). At last the ‘freshness of deep down things’ became visible, if you have eyes.
The flower colour and size of the genus Eucalyptus is enormous and the trees range from small shrubs to the tallest flowering plants in the world (the world’s tallest trees, Redwoods, are conifers). There are over 900 Eucalyptus species in Australia and that number is still growing. Nearby where I live, a botanical survey on the Ravensthorpe Ranges discovered ten new species of eucalypts. It seems astounding that these plants remained unknown to Science until 2019! This diversity of trees within the genus Eucalyptus reminded me of the great range of Pentecostal gifts given by the Spirit. The Pentecostal Spirit brings an infinite (yes ‘infinite’ in the real meaning of the word) palette of beauty within each human and between humans. Oh that we could really see.
Observe also how alike and different the flowers of E. caesia and E. macrandra are. Alike and different, as are all our friends, neighbours and enemies. Oh so different. Oh so alike. Alike because all life comes from one God and and different because all manifestations of God’s life is a unique manifestation of the life of the one God. Oh that we could see with the Spirit and uncover the beauty of all that is human and discover each individual’s unique beauty. Oh that we could see the as yet unseen and unrealised beauty within and without us. The way to discover the new and beautiful of the Spirit, within and without us, is to pay attention to what is.
This vision of beauty is both a miracle shown to us, and a miracle performed within us. The summer flowers of the Northern lands and the winter flowers of the Southern lands, both shine forth to us and in them we see a vision of God’s grace in all things. By the gift of Jesus’ Spirit within us are we able to see the world (and our neighbour) in this way. When the Spirit is given we begin to see Christ in all things and all things in Christ. When the Spirit comes all things become new (“if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new ” 2 Cor 5:17 NRSV). Both the gift of sight and what is seen, are precious God’s gifts of love. These gifts enable our joyful participation in the life and love of God.
It is the gracious gift of God’s Spirit that makes observing flowers, birds, walking in nature and gardening spiritual practices. The Spirit opens our hearts to both see and dwell in the presence of God’s love in nature. Nature can only mediate God’s presence in this way because all created things share in God’s gift of life and we, too, can only see this beauty because we, too, share in God’s gift of life. To directly experience God’s beauty we need to pay attention (as my Primary School Science text title advised “Stop, Look and Listen”) to what is, then the beauty of what is will shine forth. If we are inattentive we will ‘have eyes but will not see and ears but will not hear.’
Spiritual Practise:
Thomas Merton (Journals, May 1965) writes of the novices he mentored, “…many of them are concerned with questions. Questions of liturgy… psychology… history. Are they the right questions? In the woods the whole world is naked and directly present, with no monastery (world) to veil it” (Journals May 1965 V241-42 From A Year With Thomas Merton: Daily Meditations from His Journals). The woods, like God, will often remain silent when we ask the questions which concern us, but, when we are still and silent and attentive to nature (the Kentucky woods, in Merton’s case) then the wordless healing of the Word becomes directly present to us, the importance of the questions we bring will fade and other questions will be asked of us.
Be quiet and still in the presence of a flower (or nature). Pay attention to the flower. Don’t analyse the flower, just be with it. Time yourself (2 mins? 5 mins? 10 mins? 60 mins? you choose) and be disciplined. If you are nowhere near a ‘nature place’ and cannot be with nature, you can still be still and present wherever you are and you can pay attention to what is. You are there, so God is there. You can choose to attend to your breath or any part of your body. Do not give your attention to your thoughts or feelings for these are your creations, not God’s creation. Remove your ‘cap’ and find your own special place in God’s beautiful world.
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by Christine Sine
On Friday, I walked around our local reservoir park with its impressive view of Mt Rainier for the first time since the COVID pandemic began. Wow, Wow, Wow, was all that I could think as I drank in the beauty of this magnificent mountain. One of my fellow walkers commented: “I have lived here for 30 years and the wow factor never fades.” Amen to that I thought. I, too, have lived in Seattle for 30 years and the wow factor is a vibrant now as it was when I had my first inspiring view of our mountain.
Asiatic lilly
Refreshed by this awe experience I ambled home reflecting on what else I could think of where the wow factor never fades. I walked around my garden photographing my lilies and roses and even some of the pesky invasive plants whose flowers are incredibly beautiful.
Invasive alomestria lilly
I chuckled to myself because I photograph these same flowers every year. The wow factor really doesn’t fade! And throughout my tour, there was the soothing melody of bird songs and the buzzing of bees. The awe factor of these never fades either. Then I came inside and turned on my desktop fountain – the sound of water cascading is another wow factor that never fades either.
Bee on Lavender
“Where else does the wow factor never fade for me?”
As I sat at my desk that morning that was the question that kept revolving in my mind. I grabbed my Bible Gateway app and looked up Psalm 65, my favourite awe and wonder psalm which graphically shows where David was constantly wowed by God’s creation too. I suspect the enduring wow factor of this inspiration kept him going through some of the tough times of his life.
My favourite verse is Ps 65:8:
O God, to the farthest corners of the planet
people will stand in awe,
startled and stunned by your signs and wonders.
Sunrise brilliance and sunset beauty
both take turns singing their songs of joy to you. (TPT Ps 65:8)
What a wonderful energizing start to the day this reflection gave me and throughout the day, I found myself thinking, “Where else does the wow factor never fade?”. The aroma of fresh-brewed coffee, the taste of berries straight out of the garden, the warmth of the sun on my back, the delight of a friend’s welcoming smile. The list goes on and on, and to be honest, it has taken me twice as long as usual to write this post because I kept getting distracted by something else that caught my attention for which the wow factor never fades.
Sadly, I also realized how rarely I ask myself this question. It is easy for all of us to go through the day without taking notice of the things with an enduring wow factor. After all it does tend to mean that everything takes twice as long to accomplish when we stop to take notice of the wow factor, the awe and wonder factor, of everything around us. But it is worth it. I have been devastated by some very bad news from a good friend this week and it can easily pull me down and distance me from God; focusing on the wow factor changes that. It doesn’t make the bad news go away, and it doesn’t mean that I disconnect from the impact of it but it does make it easier for me to cope and stay close to God and walk through the day with a spring in my step in the midst of challenging circumstances.
What about for you? Where does the wow factor never fade? I hope that you will take time to reflect on this today too. Maybe you will come up with a response like this prayer that bubbled up within me, or some other form of creative expression.
When the wind blows through the trees,
And the flowers bloom in the spring,
When the birds sing in the air,
God is present here.
When the sun awakens the day,
Ands the moon glows in the night,
When the stars shine as a million dots of light,
God is present here.
When I see only beauty in God’s world,
And dance in delight and rejoice,
When the trees clap their hands and shout for joy,
God is present here.
When my path twists and turns,
And mist shrouds the way,
When dark clouds gather with foreboding,
God is present here.
On right and on left,
Behind me and before me,
Always leading, always following,
In each step I take,
God is present here.
(© Christine Sine June 2021).
Want to experience more of the awe and wonder that God offers us? Check out the Gift of Wonder Online Retreat by Christine Sine. This retreat allows for 180 days of access for only $39.99 so you can move through the sessions at your own pace.
text and photo (used with permission by the women photographed) by June Friesen,
13 After the scholars were gone, God’s angel showed up again in Joseph’s dream and commanded, “Get up. Take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt. Stay until further notice. Herod is on the hunt for this child, and wants to kill him.” 14-15 Joseph obeyed. He got up, took the child and his mother under cover of darkness. They were out of town and well on their way by daylight. They lived in Egypt until Herod’s death. This Egyptian exile fulfilled what Hosea had preached: “I called my son out of Egypt.”
Refugee defined is a person(s) who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution, or natural disaster. A few years ago, I was preaching on the text quoted above and as I read the passage a couple of hands went up in my congregation which is about 80% refugees. Jesus and his parents were refugees, they said. As Jesus’ parents fled to Egypt because of King Herod’s anger it was to protect Jesus’ life. For Mary and Joseph, they went to a country that they likely had never visited and quite likely they did not know anyone there either. In this story in Matthew, we know that Mary, Joseph, and Jesus were sheltered there safely and were able to safely return to their country within a few years, however, we are not sure of an exact date of their return.
In our world today, we have millions of refugees from several countries and for different reasons, however, most of these people literally are fleeing for safety of their lives either from persecution and/or starvation, the first one being the main one. It has been my privilege to work with several refugees over the past sixteen years. They are people who have fled from persecution of many kinds, of abuse, and imminent death. They are people who have traveled at night through the jungles with numerous dangerous animals as well as guerrilla warriors. At times they had to appear as if they were dead in order to survive. For some there were injuries along the way that left them with PTSD. For others, they had to sometimes leave behind a friend/family member as they were in the midst of fleeing because of death, severe injury, and/or illness. For others, there were diseases that they acquired either in the jungle fleeing and/or in the refugee camps. Some of these diseases led to premature death either in the camps or after they arrived in the United States. For some of these people, not only were they as adults affected but they saw their children affected by the complications of the diseases/injuries that they met along the way. Once they arrived in a refugee camp, there was protection as well as some medical help but was not always able to cure the issues completely. The adults did their best to get adequate care medically and physically especially for their children. In the refugee camps they await the day that they will see their family’s name on the list which says they can prepare to leave for another country – that country may be the USA, Canada, some areas of Europe, etc. Sometimes, it depends upon what country you lived in previously. Not always were they assured of what country would be their final destination but they knew it would be a haven from their past.
One family I have been privileged to be a part of from their arrival was a lady with two young boys with medical needs. She was single, she had to work, so what was she to do? There was a rather large settlement from her country already present and somehow, she connected with them and a young man stepped in and said he would care for her children when she was working as he had a different shift. I picked the lady and children up for church every Sunday. A few months after she was here, her settlement person had found better housing for her so we as a church showed up on a Saturday morning with several people and three pickups to move them. The man who was helping with her children asked who we were – he could not believe what was happening and that there were mostly Americans but also some other Africans. On Sunday morning, after the move, I picked her family up for church. When I brought them home, this man was there. He asked, “Where were you?”, and she said, “To church. This is the pastor.” He then told me that I would no longer need to pick them up as he would make sure they got to church and from then on, he attended as well. This couple were then married and have added two more boys to the home of their own. This man together with this lady have owned a home for several years now; they both work; he has completed a college degree and the two oldest boys have graduated from high school.
I celebrate Refugee Sunday (June 20, 2021) as it means so much to me to see opportunities given to people for life that is able to be lived in safety and with basic needs met. I celebrate as I see the resolve these people have to pay back others for what they have been blessed with. I celebrate refugees because I realize that Jesus, the Son of God, along with His earthly parents were refugees. However, in the midst of what I celebrate my heart is also grieved for the many refugees who are still dying because of persecution, starvation, etc. My heart cry today is for the many refugees who will never make it to a better opportunity. May we who say we are followers of Jesus, who, too, was a refugee, see the need to work towards helping others in need whether here in our own country or in the countries around the world. May we be willing to be good stewards of our resources that God has blessed us with in so many ways. I assure you that sharing our resources will yield great blessings. It will also bring great honor to the God we love and serve with our lives.
Today, June 19, 2021 is Juneteenth. We want to highlight our post from last year to celebrate.
Tomorrow, June 20th, is also Father’s Day. Please see our resources below:
- A Prayer for Father’s Day
- Look at Me! A Father’s Day Poem by Catherine Lawton
- God the Father Reimagined.
- Lets Get Creative For Father’s Day
- The Father Heart of God
- VIDEOS: by Sheila Hamil
The Spirituality of Gardening Online Course is available for 180 days of access for only $39.99. This interactive course includes video sessions with Christine Sine as well as 8 other guest gardeners. Visit our store page for more information.
By Lilly Lewin,
Spent the last few days curating worship and being a part of the Episcopal Young Adult Campus Ministry Conference via Zoom. Our theme was based on Matthew 11:28-30 (The Message).
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. 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.”
Matthew 11: 28-30 (The Message)
DAY 1: We focused on the invitation from Jesus in this verse: COME TO ME...
Are we willing to RECEIVE and OPEN this INVITATION from Jesus? To actually follow Jesus and actually REST?
Come to Me
DAY 2: We focused on the BURDENS we’ve been carrying this year and our need to take the time to acknowledge them and actually GRIEVE and PROCESS these things.
The Rev. Dr. Altagracia Pérez-Bullard talked to us about the “LAYERS of PANDEMIC”… Covid-19, political division, racial injustice, and the realization for many of us that our country is a lot more broken than we thought. And the cracks we all see, the systems of inequity starkly revealed by Covid in health care, education, child care etc. There is SO MUCH TO GRIEVE!
The Rt. Rev. Diana Akiyama invited us to put all these things in the COVID WHEELBARROW and allow Jesus to have them and carry them for us.
covid wheelbarrow
Today was DAY 3: and our theme was THE UNFORCED RHYTHMS of GRACE…
We had the honor to hear from Presiding Bishop Michael Curry who reminded us that our main job is to FOLLOW JESUS! To love God and love others, and love ourselves! He and Rev. Blake Woods talked about Peter walking on the water and how the Church is like the Boat… it feels safe and we want to stay in the familiar, but we need to get out and FOLLOW JESUS and keep our eyes on him! We only sink when we look at the waves instead of at Jesus! And The Rev. Becca Stevens reminded us that we don’t have to do this work alone! WE HAVE COMMUNITY! We even need community to help us REST! A member of one of the small group times I was a part of says we all need to find a Jewish friend who has a real sabbath practice to help us develop our own practice of REST! I closed our time with a Celebration of Bubbles…. Actually blowing bubbles as I prayed…
We are invited by Jesus to… to COME TO HIM.
To Draw the Circle Wide!
To let Jesus have our heavy loads.
To do our own work and pursue justice.
To take time to heal, so we can help others heal.
We are invited by Jesus to… Grieve and Mourn. He promises us comfort and he weeps with us.
We are invited to remember that God holds all our tears.
We are invited by Jesus to Rest and Restore and find Rhythm again!
Celebrate the invitation to come to Jesus!
Celebrate the gift of REST!
Celebrate that God holds all our tears and weeps with us!
Celebrate the opportunity to seek justice and healing!
Celebrate the wide circle!
Celebrate the invitation to hold hands with Jesus… His Yoke is LOVE!
Celebrate not having to do it by yourself! We have Jesus with us and we have community!
Celebrate the power and refreshment of the Holy Spirit and
Embrace the Joy of God’s unforced Rhythms of Grace!
We celebrate today!
In the Name of the Father
The Son & The Holy Spirit
And all God’s people said Amen.
I invite you to take the time to REST and PROCESS this summer… to not overfill the calendar just because you can! To embrace and learn the UNFORCED RHYTHMS of GRACE! Take time this weekend to plan and process what rest would look like for you and your family, you and your housemates, or your community this summer! How different would we be in September if we all took the time to REST?
©lillylewin and freerangeworship.com
Sacred Summer Kit
Check out the GIFT OF A SACRED SUMMER and start with the practice of REST! also check out last week’s FreerangeFriday to begin your REST PRACTICE!
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Making Time for a Sacred Summer 2
by Sue Duby,
I fiddle with my glasses… a lot. Trying to get the view just right. Multiple wipes to get that one last smudge off the lens. Debating if it’s a “sunglass” morning or my regular glasses will do. Pondering if the occasional blurry glance means time for an upgrade. Wanting to dance when it’s perfectly clear.
But often, clarity isn’t enough. It’s HOW I see through the lens and interpret what’s on the frame. Take our recent trip to the beach.
After journeying with the rest of the planet going nowhere for months, we shouted “YES!” when invited to join family in Florida for sunshine and ocean waves. Almost there, the GPS suddenly routed us north… away from the ocean. Then, with hearts a bit saddened, we entered the condo to find zero water view, but a grand one of the parking lot! Exhausted from our long drive, we fell into bed with an “oh well!” sigh.
The next morning, I grabbed my coffee, settled into a comfy chair and exhaled. As I looked out the window, a smile erupted. Here, from our spacious top floor unit, my eyes feasted on a panoramic view of lush green tree tops. So very peaceful. Even a gigantic magnolia tree exploding with super-sized blooms reaching our 5th floor vista. I giggled to Chuck… “We’re in a treehouse!!!!”. And for the rest of our stay, that’s all I could see… and I loved the view! From discontent to gratitude. A mystery how perspective can do that. Sometimes by choice and often, by His grace in adjusting our lenses.
by Sue Duby
Online ads highlighted our unit as having a unique inside “tower”. I pictured a cozy reading nook above the clouds. Instead, a wobbly spiral staircase in the living room led to a narrow “cat walk”, with windows nearly requiring a tip toe stance to peer out. Again, disappointment and grumbling. Until… one night… a sudden explosion of “Boom!! Boom!! Crackle! Pop, pop, pop!!” with strange colored lights streaming through the windows. We all scurried up to the tower and discovered a wild, spectacular fireworks display. Just a few blocks away. Front and center view for us, far above the treetops. Magic and better than 4th of July! I smiled and nodded to myself… delighted in rediscovering the “tower of wonder”.
After sweet days of sandy feet, ocean spray, puzzles and just-like-Europe almond croissants, we pulled into our driveway. Jumping from the car, we ran to check the garden after 2 weeks away. Stepping through the backyard gate, we stopped with a joint, “Whoa!!”. Lush weeds covered every single bare spot in the landscape. Hundreds. All sizes. Days of rain made them all too joyful! We frowned. Then, looking again, we noticed the rose bushes, my cutting garden, the “where did they come from petunias” and the hydrangea trees. Huge! Supersized! Ready to burst into glory. Likely promising to be the best summer bounty ever! And a few hours of weed plucking easily cleared the scene.
by Sue Duby
A few days later, I caught Chuck shaking his head, while investigating leaves on a favorite flowering shrub. “I just got those aphids under control and now this!”… pointing to a host of wiggly black insects. Too tired for another bug battle, he walked away. The next morning, I heard a shout… “Come here! You won’t believe it!”. In place of those critters sat fuzzy orange and black caterpillar-like creatures. A quick online check confirmed it. Lady bug larvae! We love those guys… and so does our garden. Now we’re hoping for an army of black critters!
Perspective changes things. “A glass through which objects are viewed”. “The capacity to view things in their true relations or relative importance”. I know on my own, my vision stays a bit foggy. “Seeing” clearly so often gets colored by my emotions, my mood, my limited understanding and wisdom, my frame of reference. Sometimes I’m stuck… unable to adjust my lenses. Locked into my way of seeing. At times, not willing to even consider there might be another view. Often, unaware that another view awaits, just ready to be noticed.
I want to be poised and ready… always… to have Him adjust my lenses. To show me what He sees. Not so much “WHAT do You want me to see?”, but “HOW do you want me to see what is in front of me Lord?” Discovering fresh views that change my heart and open a wellspring of gratitude.
How do you see, Lord? May my eyes view each moment through Your lens… seeing what You see… with hope, clarity, promise and a grateful heart.
Open my eyes that I may see
wonderful things in your law. Ps 118:19 NIV
He replied, “The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see.” John 9:11 NIV
However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”— the things God has prepared for those who love him— I Cor 2:9 NIV
Feature photo by Nadine Shaabana on Unsplash.
Want to experience more of the awe and wonder that God offers us? Check out the Gift of Wonder Online Retreat by Christine Sine. This retreat allows for 180 days of access for only $39.99 so you can move through the sessions at your own pace.
by Carol Dixon,
As a child I often played in the Pastures by the river Aln opposite Alnwick Castle and I was always fascinated how after the bareness of winter everything began to bloom again. Each spring lambs would be gambolling on the grass and once summer arrived flowers would spring up peppering the meadow. It was a lovely place to sit and watch butterflies bobbing from plant to plant and listen to the bees busily buzzing around. As an adult it set me thinking. In the same way the destiny of a seed is to grow into a healthy plant our destiny as Christians is to grow in God.
Grow in God (based on Eph 3:14-19)
1. Grow in God, be grounded in God’s love,
Grow in God, strong in your inner selves.
2. Grow in God, and rooted in your faith,
Grow in God, abounding in Christ’s joy.
3. Grow in God, God’s presence fill your life,
Grow in God, Christ’s peace within your hearts. © Carol Dixon (music attached below)
When my son Colin worked on a farm I learned a lot of lessons from the activities he got up to especially at the busy times of lambing or harvest. It gave me great food for thought in my spiritual life as I pondered on the sowing & reaping and the new birth that is seen in different ways at different times of the year and I marvelled at the amazing intricacy of life in its many forms. Gary Davies in his book ‘A handful of seed’ says, “If you had never observed the processes of nature before & were given a tiny seed, you couldn’t possibly guess the startling form of life that lies hidden within it. It is a miraculous thing that within a tiny, inert and apparently lifeless speck lies the potential for new and greater forms of life.”
The prophet Samuel recognised the silent, secret life of the Spirit within a young farm lad who was brought in from the fields where he was looking after the sheep (the lowliest of lowly jobs) and at a family meal anointed him as the future king. It was years and years though before the prophecy came to fruition – David was 30 when he became the ruler of Judah and 37 before the Northern kingdom of Israel capitulated and accepted him as king of the whole nation. Yet during all those years from teenager to thirty year old David knew he was God’s anointed, despite his outward circumstances.
David remembers
King? Me? You’re joking, God.
I’m just the lad who looks after the animals –
The youngest in the family, of no account.
Yet you chose me,
The insignificant one,
Who looks at the heavens,
Sings songs on the hills,
And spends his nights counting sheep,
Taking care of the flock.
So that’s it God; taking care of your flock,
Being your good shepherd;
Well I reckon I could do that
If you stay with me
And lead me where you want me to go;
Not only with me by the still waters
But through death valley as well:
The table spread before me
In presence of my enemies,
Not just my family and friends,
As it was when you anointed my head with oil
– The cup was full to overflowing –
And I was consecrated as king!
Maybe one day God – stranger things
Have happened to those who follow you.
Meanwhile I’ll go on minding the sheep;
Keep me in your presence forever. © Carol Dixon
If we think about our own lives, sometimes it isn’t obvious to see how the Holy Spirit is working in us. Sometimes we are so busy that we haven’t time to discern our destiny of how we can bring God’s kingdom to fruition personally and among those around us. Even in times of enforced inactivity we fill our minds with random thoughts rather than heeding God’s invitation to rest with him in our imaginations by still waters, soaking in the healing, restoring life he offers us when allow ourselves time to settle in his presence, confident that no matter what life throws at us, we are safe in the love of God, seen in Jesus our Good Shepherd.
A few weeks ago I was in hospital and the scripture that held me in God’s presence was the song most associated with David, the shepherd boy: Psalm 23.
The Lord Is My Shepherd
Brian Boniwell
The Lord is my shepherd and I want to follow
Wherever he leads me, wherever he goes.
Over the mountains, the waters and byways,
Valleys and highways, he’s waiting for me.
I want to go to meet him there,
To lay myself down in his love.
The Lord is my shepherd and I want to follow
Wherever he leads me, wherever he goes.
And while on the journey to where we are going,
He promised to be there, to help us along.
And over the mountains, we’ll walk on together,
to know all the wonders he’s given to me.
I want to go to meet him there,
To lay myself down in his love.
The Lord is my shepherd and I want to follow
Wherever he leads me, wherever he goes.
© Brian Boniwell Used by permission
Another favourite of mine is a modern version of the Psalm written by my friend, Revd. Carla Grosch-Miller:
Psalm 23 Redux
This I know: my life is in Your hand,
I have nothing to fear.
I stop, breathe, listen.
Beneath the while of what is
Is a deep down quiet place.
You beckon me to tarry there.
This is the place
Where unnamed hungers
Are fed, the place
Of clear water, refreshment.
My senses stilled,
I drink deeply,
At home
In timeless territory.
In times of terror or peril
I remember:
Death’s dark vale holds no menace.
I lean into You;
Your eternal presence comforts me.
I am held tenderly.
In the midst of all that troubles,
That threatens and diminishes,
You set abundance before me,
You lift my head; my vision clears.
The blessing cup overflows.
This I know:
You are my home and my hope,
My strength and my solace,
And so shall ever be.
© Carla Grosch Miller from Psalms Redux publ Canterbury Press 2014 Used by permission
A Blessing by Roddy Hamilton (online worship resources 2014)
In the lush pastures of life that hold meeting places with love,
may your feet know the way to find them.
By the still waters of the running stream,
may your hands shape a cup it and drink deep from it.
In the valley of death’s shadow that threatens,
may your sense of life find the way through.
At the banqueting table set before your enemies,
may your cup be full and overrunning.
Like the anointing oil that runs down your head,
may the blessing that is you spill into the world with eternal promise.
In the way a shepherd’s staff wards off lameness from fear,
may trust be your protective companion on the way.
Through each day’s living as it unfolds,
may goodness and mercy make their way into every moment.
At the doorway to the house of the Lord,
may you recognise your home and your hearth.
And in the song that makes a dwelling-place in your heart,
may its music rise in your soul. Amen.
by tomas malik on unsplash.com
Another psalm that speaks of God shepherding us is Psalm 100. Roger Jones’ musical ‘Saints Alive’ includes one of the most joyful versions of it that I’ve heard. I hope you enjoy it as you sing along.
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photos and post by June Friesen,
Nature holds so many gifts not only in living things but also in objects. At times when I am hiking and I take the time to stop and pause I find God inviting me to embrace Him in so many different and varied ways. In this photo, I find an invitation from Jesus to come and sit with Him… maybe to sit at His feet as Mary did… maybe to just crawl up as a child would do and be embraced, listening to the beat of His heart… listening to the beat of His heart filled with love and care for me. I am reminded of the words of Jesus in Matthew 11… notice it says that Jesus talked to the people tenderly….
27 Jesus resumed talking to the people, but now tenderly. “The Father has given me all these things to do and say. This is a unique Father-Son operation, coming out of Father and Son intimacies and knowledge. No one knows the Son the way the Father does, nor the Father the way the Son does. But I’m not keeping it to myself; I’m ready to go over it line by line with anyone willing to listen.
28-30 “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. 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.
Wow! There are so many times when I just want to sit with Jesus and rest in His reassurance given here in these verses. Listen to His understanding of our situation: Are you tired? Are you worn out? Are you burned out on religion? Do you feel a heavy load placed on you? Do you feel restrictions that are uncomfortable, undefinable? Wow. Yes wow. And how often do I/we feel that God does not understand this world today? Our particular situation today? Yet, as I read these words, I find understanding and comfort from God because He has something better for me, He says. He describes it this way: ‘If you come with Me, He says, I will help you recover what your life is to be; I will allow you and show you how to rest in Me; I will allow your life to respond with rhythm to the situations you are in and face…’ He says that my spirit will be so much lighter – it will experience a freedom.
I invite you to take some time to allow Jesus to embrace you. Find a place in nature, in your yard, in your home. Maybe you need a blanket, a sheet, a worship covering, a coat to wrap around you. Now rest, if you can, lean your head on something as if you are leaning on His breast. Hear the beating of His Heart; His heart that beats with not only love but life for you; His heart that beats with eternal life for you. Feel Him breathing… in the rise and fall of his chest with each breath He breathes life into the air you are breathing… Wrap your arms around yourself, holding yourself, giving yourself a hug or two or more… allow yourself to feel Jesus hugging you, filling your being with His tenderness. Now take a deep breath and let it fill you to the depth of your being with life… release the breath slowly beginning from the belly, letting it take with it all the impurities you want to shed… now take another breath – deeply – and embrace Jesus breathing the Spirit freshly into all the space you just emptied… as you breath out be thankful for the cleansing not only spiritually but physically each breath can give.
In our world here today, time seems so hurried. One cannot wait until the afternoon, or the evening or the next day, the next week, the next month or year. For many of us we cannot/could not wait until the end of Covid. But as I was pondering these thoughts this morning and allowing myself to be refreshed by Jesus my spirit was stirred – and I found myself asking – could it be that the bondage that we feel Covid has forced upon us is somewhat like the bondage of sin upon our spirit? Could it be that this is how God speaking to us because we have not taken the time to sit with Him? Yes, we miss gathering in community but could it be that we have made gathering in community more important that personal time with Him?
What might Jesus/God/Spirit say to you as you take the time to sit with him personally? Where might you find a space this season, a favorite place of refreshment perhaps for a summer vacation, where you may also find that your spirit can find refreshment and new life? For some it might be the beach at an ocean or lake. For others it may be in a garden of vegetables and/or flowers where new things can be spotted almost if not every day. For others it may be some fresh decoration in your home. It doesn’t have to be elaborate or take up a lot of space – just a special place that when you walk by it invites you to pause a moment and breathe.
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