June 2019
Growth and transformation in Spring
As I write this, Spring-time is in full swing! And I never cease to have a tremendous sense of pleasure and privilege, living and working in Suffolk at this time of the year; all around us is an increasing volume, variety and vitality of new life- in the hedgerows and fields, and on the trees and in our wonderful sky which changes so beautifully in the east anglian light during the morning, noon and evening.
A joy to behold; as young life grows develops and matures before our very eyes and ears and noses (as the sounds and smells grow richer and more varied as spring passes). It seems to me to be like a picture becoming more and more colour-ful and into focus, and somehow more and more real. The different pattern of wild-life although competitive on the surface, has a deeper more complimentary and harmonious undergrowth and over growth- if only we stop for a moment of stillness, and spend time looking at the wholeness of the big picture being revealed before us as the year unfolds, and of which we are all so wondrously a small, yet valuable and significant part in this creation. However, as I write this also, I have just been involved in investigating serious disease on a farm. Sometimes life processes and production goes wrong; again this is all around us in our natural world, although its causes are often illusive and ignored; due to human activity and interference, or due to powers and influences of and within, and perhaps darkly above nature and the environment – suffering and struggle is the inevitable result. At such times the truth of the existence of a loving God can seem ridiculous, and even repellent……until again we spend time looking and seeking a bit further. In such situations (and the recent disease problem is no exception), it is my experience that God is present and may be found in the midst of all these events, actions and re-actions of others as well as ourselves- in the resulting reconciliation and healing opportunities. The words of the Old Testament prophet Isaiah are resonant: “If you extend your soul to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul, then shall your light dawn in the obscurity, and your darkness shall be as the noonday sun. Then you will call, and the Lord God will answer.”
As the Christian Church enters into the traditional crop and livestock blessing season of “Rogation-tide”, we celebrate in Christ, not only a God of revelation, and reconciliation, but also a God of re-creation. May God Bless us all in our own growth, development and maturity; to become our true selves, belong truly to compliment others, and seek Him in truthfulness in the way ahead and beyond.
Adam Barclay (Curate)