God is doing new things

The wonderful Anna Farago asked me to share this with you all, so here goes:

"In the summer holidays I heard that someone I loved was going through a very bad time, and I felt sad about it. But, as I was shopping, I saw a lovely little Busy Lizzie plant, a very cheerful colour and covered with buds. I couldn't resist buying it - it seemed to me to speak of God's beauty and generosity and infinite possibilities. So, I bought it and kept it at home, but I used to bring it to church on Sundays to cheer people up. Each Sunday there were always new flowers coming out, even though the older flowers would fade and die; it was an emblem of hope.

But, Busy Lizzies get tired and this one died, and it also showed great signs of greenfly, which I knew I couldn't get rid of. So I put it outside and thought it would eventually die completely. The weather was, on the whole, not kind -  cool, wet., windy.

Then, a few weeks ago I had a look at it. I couldn't see greenfly on it anywhere. Moreover it had, during its time of neglect, got new buds which I hadn't expected. So I brought it into the house again and kept it warm, and slowly the buds have come out and it is lovely all over again.  So I have brought it into church.

It seemed like a parable to me. We think things are over, we think our lives are messed up and finished, but God doesn't let that happen. We need to look more carefully - God is doing new things - so don't give up. Life can be really hard - in fact, maybe if I hadn't put my plant outside the greenfly would have had a field day -  but that was not the end of the plant.  It's on the table in the entrance hall each Sunday morning, just for you all to enjoy...."

International Service 28/10/2012

Wasn't that amazing?
Many thanks to all who contributed and made it such a terrific success.

Tim M.

Saul and his Lexus

Morning!

I have just been reading about the interesting testosterone-fuelled dynamics between Saul and David in 1 Samuel 18:1-16. I felt a surge of blogging creativity come on so I thought I would share my thoughts.

Westminster Abbey prayer

On what is a precious day off work this week I went to London to see my daughter. I went first to Westminster Abbey, having felt a strong desire to pray and read the bible there. I did this, with a focus on journeying and blessing on all our family in the widest sense, including the church family, this being a persistent prayer.  As I finished a young woman Curate got up and spoke the prayer below. It felt very connected and encouraging to what I had prayed about silently and I asked her for a copy. We got talking, prayed together and the lady (called Marja) sent this onto me.