Psalm 126; Romans 8:18-22; John 6:1-13

Our theme for today in the Creation Season is Restoration.

I wonder what we imagine when we think of restoration? It means to bring something back to what it was. But when we take a look at last weekend’s 40’s nostalgia in the town we might realise that it’s only what they think were the good bits of the past that people wanted to restore: the music, the steam trains, the fashions, but especially the upbeat feeling. Morale was kept up during that war. The spirit lived on to some extent into the 50’s and 60’s despite the hardships of the time.

I would argue that there is no such thing as restoration, only re-creation.

Many of us are observing the re-creation of our lawns following the heatwave. I remember past times of drought when people stood on dry river beds and wondered whether the waters would ever return. They did. Some years later the river banks broke and there were floods!

When I first became interested in horticulture and plants, I read books on organic gardening principles: the first one being that we need to work with nature and not against it.

God’s creation is wonderful, it tries to re-create constantly, which is why evolution happens.

When we work against nature we damage the whole ecology and we suffer for it. An example is perhaps when we try to plant only one species over a large area. This goes against nature, and so pests and diseases move in to reduce the crop, while nature re-creates a few to build up their resistance. When we use insecticides or slug pellets it not only kills the good bugs as well as the bad ones but the birds and creatures who feed on the insects and slugs don’t thrive either. When we use sprays against diseases these are absorbed into the plants and into anything that eats them, including us. When we use artificial fertilisers they do nothing to build up the the soil, and excesses filter through into the water supply and into everything that drinks it. The results are seen in the desolation that Iain spoke about last week.

Every creature, with the exception of human beings, knows instinctively that they are not in control. They co-operate with nature, which gives them more of a chance to survive and to thrive. Humankind tries to be in control. We convince ourselves that we know better than nature, and better than God.

It takes time for nature to re-create a good balanced ecology in a garden or fields, but it can be done.

In the same way it will take time for nature to re-create a good balance in the air we all breathe, in the weather patterns, and in the world itself if the people of the planet ever stop working against it.

Paul spoke about the whole creation groaning in labour pains. We might empathise with that. But Paul went on to talk about hope, and we can live in hope and do our bit to make a difference.

When we work with nature we begin to see the abundance, the multiplication that Angela spoke about two weeks ago, and which Jesus demonstrated in the feeding of the five thousand.

But Jesus was saying more than that. He was telling and showing us how to thrive spiritually, in everything he said and did. To do so, we need to work with him - with God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, who is as ready to re-create as nature is. The love of God is fostered in us, as is an attitude of gratitude as we begin to appreciate his greatness, and the wonder of his creation. Paul said later in the chapter that all things work together for good for those who love God.

In the same way as the plants produce seed and fruit to feed and grow the next generations, imbued with the resilience in them produced by re-creation, so we will produce seed and bear fruit to feed the next generations spiritually.

Remember: we need to co-operate with nature and with God, then we will not only survive but we will thrive. All shall be well. God loves us and wants what is best for us.That is good news to hold onto. It raises morale and it lifts our spirits. Our mouths will be filled with laughter, our tongues with shouts of joy!

We can look forward to the last week of the Creation season next Sunday when we’ll celebrate with our Harvest Thanksgiving service at Café Church.

Amen.

Julie Rubidge, Lay Minister