Tranquil or a Threat?

 

A decade and more ago, Don and I visited the Great Barrier Reef off Cairns, Australia. My dad had died a month before; Dad’s mom had died three weeks before: we were in Australia for the wedding of our youngest son Doug.

Heightened emotions then.

I am not comfortable on the water. Even less comfortable in the water. I’ve just never been any good at swimming, despite many lessons and attempts.

All glory to God, who enabled me to relax and absolutely love the experience of entering the warm waters twenty-five miles out to sea. That’s a different story from what I’m thinking of this morning, but all glory to Him for gifting me an experience of a lifetime.

As I snorkelled (for the first and only time in my life), the waters on the surface were choppy and rough, as a hurricane was brewing. When I rested my facemask on the waters, though, the sight which met my eyes was one of serenity and calm and beauty, with a cornucopia of fish of all colours and shapes and sizes weaving in and out of the corals.

It was a scene of tranquil perfection.

And yet, we were attired in onesies as barriers to any box jellyfish which might brush past, and warned we might glimpse reef sharks or other slightly alarming fish. Neither Don nor I saw anything but beautiful creatures.

But that doesn’t mean there weren’t predators around, with evil intent.

I’ve been reminded this week of the presence of dark spiritual predators in our world, perhaps closer than we imagine. I’ve been awakened to the reality of the forces which Paul warns of so eloquently in his letter to the Ephesians.

Lord, please sharpen my vision and give me the gift of discernment, so that I can more accurately target the predators in my neighbourhood, in my circle of friends, in my family. Thank you, Jesus, that there is no match for you anywhere in the universe. Thank you that you have defeated evil at the cross. Help me to live in the reality of my life today, seeing things as you see them, and taking on and defeating any force that would kill or destroy one of your precious ones.

Grey Skies and Rainbows

 

As I shed the heavy traffic in Glasgow and began to head north, the skies were a swirl of leaden grey clouds and blue swatches. Rounding a bend, I chuckled to see a full rainbow sprouting from one side of the motorway and arcing across it to a distant hill. This is just a beautiful sky picture: I was driving when I saw the rainbow, so couldn't capture it.

Is there any more beautiful sign of God’s promise of love and nurture, of empathy and compassion, of his presence in every detail of our lives?

Challenges will come, and they are, but ‘I’m gonna sing, in the middle of the storm’, and as I sing, the rainbows reassure me that there is power in praise, that Jesus can move mountains and that in him, the battle is won.

Have a great weekend.

Mariah

 Listening to the gusts of wind squeezing through the gaps, whipping the bushes against the windows, echoing down the chimney. Storm Agnes they’ve named these winds. A couple of years ago, Storm Arwen roared through Scotland from the wrong direction, breaking millions of trees and wreaking devastation across the countryside. 

As a child, gathered round a campfire with others my age, we would sing a song with the line, ‘They called the wind Mariah’. It was a song that conjured images of lonely cowboys in hostile territory clumped round a fire, listening warily for wolves and mountain lions and wishing for home. 

Interesting that we name winds and storms and hurricanes. 

We were created for relationship, and we often look in the wrong places, imagining that we can interact with inanimate weather phenomena. We often anthropomorphise animals too, as anyone with wee kids knows. Or even trains and cars. 

We were made for relationship. In the garden of Eden, the first man and woman walked in the garden with God every evening. One imagines they chatted and laughed, maybe shared deep thoughts and dreams. They had a bond, a bond of love that was strong and absolute. 

The worst thing about the fall from grace was the breaking of that bond, of that relationship.

Praying today for all who are lonely, and for all who are bereft of meaningful relationships. The good news is that Jesus promised never to leave or forsake us, a huge promise redolent of comfort and love, hope and peace. Relationship with him is everything.

Recalculating

 At the roundabout, take the first exit, my gps instructed this morning as I drove Ava to nursery. 

But no, I said to Ava, usually I take the second exit. I followed my instinct rather than the gps. Which got us to the nursery, eventually, but only after spending some time sitting in stationary traffic.

Sometimes in life, I think I know the way. I’ve done this before, I think. This is the way I’ve done it. I ignore, or don’t even listen to, that still small voice which is whispering urgently to me…This is the way: walk in it. 

I end up at my destination, eventually. But perhaps I have gone through more hold ups and ordeals than God had chosen for me. He knows the better way.

May I be more thoughtful today before striking out in the old paths. May I remember to go to God in everything, so that I am not held up in detours and blockages and heavy situations. And so that I don’t miss out on the delights he might have in store for me on a new route. 

Little foxes

 Last time I was here, I was awoken by a skulk of foxes. 

Sitting here now as the rain drums a cadence on the window, I am thinking of a verse from Song of Solomon, 2:15. Catch us the foxes. The little foxes that spoil the vines.

As I tend the garden in which God has put me, I am often distracted by thoughts and actions which disturb and threaten to deface the beauty, uproot trust and undermine faith. May I keep my eyes trained on Jesus

 today and always, and allow my Father the gardener a free hand in keeping the garden of my thoughts, emotions and spiritual landscape flowering, fruiting and flourishing.

Catch the little foxes, Lord.  The little foxes that spoil the vines.

Small Things

 

Today our eldest grandchild turns 9.

How can that be? It seems only yesterday she was born, and we were smitten. I hadn’t suspected I would be so overwhelmed with love for a grandchild.

Flick led the way for eight more to follow, and each time, we were smitten.

Don’t despise the day of small things, Scripture advises: God transforms the small things in our lives into beautiful works of creativity and genius. Who knows what his plans are for these young ones, his good and perfect plans?

May God bless the socks off these young ones, and those in your lives. May they face the storms of life with courage and faith, trusting that in everything, God holds the keys. May they be filled with the Holy Spirit of God, alive to the direction Jesus is moving, and alert to the whisper of the Father.

Happy birthday dear Felicity, halfway around the world.

Winter approaches

 

Seven hundred years of ownership. Seven hundred years.

Not that we’ve been owned, but the estate on which we live has been owned by the same family, generation after generation, since the time of Robert the Bruce.

So the Laird and his Lady treated us lesser mortals to a piece of pizza, a glass of prosecco, a piper, bonfire and fireworks last night to celebrate with them. He expressed the thought that they might just carry on another seven hundred years…

We milled around with our neighbours, layered against the cold.

Community. We were made to live our lives together, not staring into devices, alone in our rooms or cars. Churches are great gathering places, but with so few committed believers these days we need to find other ways of being with people who share some sort of connection, even if it is nothing more than living in the same neighbourhood.

The world will know you believers, Jesus said, by the way you love one another.

May I live my life as Jesus did, lit from within by his love and light.