Left to our own devices… You may be familiar with the above phrase thanks to the Pet Shop Boys, who wrote a song back in 1988 with the same title. Neil Tennant writes about the conflict between ambition and the desire for lazy independence, with a hint of his struggle for identity and memories of feeling isolated as a young teen. Nearly 40 years later, I wonder how much has changed for any of us? In the Bible, the above is spoken about in terms of living in the flesh and living in the spirit. The age-old struggle between being human and giving in to human desires, or being led by the Spirit of God, who knows that not all our decisions are in our own best interest, or the best interest of others and our Home —this world that we are encouraged by God to take responsibility for. Every day we are faced with decisions, each one with its own personal or social consequences, and every day those consequences affect everything around us. Generation after generation has its share of brilliance and shame, and yet the stubbornness of the human head and heart often fails to learn from either. The Bible is the story of one nation who, despite being called by God to be His own, experienced all the above. This Book with its countless examples of leadership and direction — both brilliant and shockingly woeful — is where we learn about the relationship between the God who knows best, and His people who think they know best! We are not God, and yet how many times do we see these traits in our own lives and the lives of others. God does not suggest utopian living. He has already laid out a plan, a purpose, and a means of achieving life in all its possibilities in a way that so many of us cannot begin to imagine is possible. But with God, ‘all things are possible’, especially if He has already promised — and He has. Why are we missing great leadership at present? Could it be that we have lost our respect, belief, and trust in the Creator God of the Cosmos, and in His Spirit who hovers around us as He has since the very beginning of time? If so, how do we change this culture? The Bible says it takes a ‘spiritual transformation’ — a miraculous work of God’s Grace — to remove hearts of stone that have no true feeling and replace them with hearts that are responsive and do! God wants to work with us. He always has, He always will. But until humankind works it out for itself, we will always struggle like Neil Tennant and everyone else! Change in our perspective begins with each one of us, not those who purport to govern us, but with each human being God gifts with wisdom and love. It’s time for us to build some momentum in bringing back respect, moral values, and a shared common interest in our neighbours and the places we live, and all this begins by saying sorry to the God we have forgotten about. Left to our own devices, we will continue our own demise. Turning back to God will change EVERYTHING! Revd Veronica. x
Summer, what does it mean to you?Longer days and shorter nights affect how we feel, and what we choose to dowith our time. Those extra hours can be filled with a sense of duty to work harderfor some, while for others they become an opportunity to enjoy life a little more,using those lighter mornings and evenings to relax or pursue hobbies.There has recently been, and continues to be, an interest in pilgrimage. Perhapsthis is due to celebrity programmes on TV where we see a group of individualstravelling together – sharing their thoughts, beliefs, doubts and life experiences.As they journey together, we often see changes among them.The last days of July are traditionally set aside for pilgrimage. The weather makesit ideal for travelling and sleeping under the stars. Pilgrimages are not the same asholidays. They are journeys to special places – very often Christian shrines, holy orsacred places, springs, wells and standing stones. Important as the destination is,it is not always the main thing. For many pilgrims it is the journey itself. It is aninner and outer walk. The landscape outside and the journey of the soul inside asthey become almost inseparable, and both deeply sacred.The word ‘pilgrim’ comes from the Latin word ‘peregrinus’, which means one whotravels through the land. In the Middle Ages, peregrini would set out from theknown and familiar, placing themselves in the mercy of new and unfamiliarlandscapes. This is still part of what changes us in our modern pilgrimages. Wediscover things about ourselves, resources we didn’t know we had, and strugglesthat seem hard to overcome, which we either learn, or fail to learn, to embrace.With the craziness of this social media-mad world of ours, I wonder if many of uswould benefit from the odd pilgrimage or two? Giving intention to leaving thefamiliar landscape of constant messages, emails, scrolling, and being availableevery minute of each waking hour, in exchange for the beauty and silence foundacross the Sandstone Trail or Bishop Bennet’s Way.Jesus very often took himself away from the company of his friends to spend timewith God. I might choose to follow His Way this Summer and find someunchartered landscape both outside and inside my soul – what about you? .Rev Veronica xFrom June onwards, Rev Veronica’s Day of Restwill now be a Wednesday.Rev Veronica Greenveronicarom838@aol.com01948 663758; 07928 792337
Dance then, wherever you may be… ‘Our senses are constantly bombarded, and yet we miss most of what happens around us. It goes by us, past us, over our heads. We attend only to a fraction, a t iny fraction, of what we might. Then something strikes us. We don’t know why, but we are paying attention and this thing, event or reality or whatever, begins to matter. This is a blessing: this thing, whatever it is, that is drawing us out of ourselves. Melting our loneliness and forging some kind of connection, making a pathway for sharing with others.’ ‘Rain, for instance’ says Stephen Cherry, ‘I always disliked the sound of rain, it reminded me of schooldays and wet breaks inside the classroom, until someone suggested that that it’s drumming sound was a kind of music, a dance even, and that I should listen to it.’ It is suggested, from a psychological view, that our way of responding to things is fight or flight, but recently two new words have been added to this concept about the human condition: freeze and fawn. These interesting words represent two other ways of responding that perhaps reflect today’s pres sures, culture, and society. Freeze amounts to being numb and immobilized, where you cannot think or act. Fawn is about our wanting to avoid conflict, ensuring safety by appeasing or complying and sacrificing our own needs to keep the peace. I suggest the greatest threat to our well-being and good health in our time is the condition of our minds. The brain is the hard drive of our body, and it is beaten to death every day by the amount of information we believe we are to take in. None of us can escape. The story of Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane, asking his closest friends to walk through this journey to the cross alongside him, is a beautiful example of this for all involved. The disciples could not stay awake with him and eventually flee from the impending danger of the Romans. And we are told that Jesus Himself, sweat drops of blood so tangible was the fear of what was coming. Easter is the time we celebrate the Hope that Jesus brought and continues to bring us all! He overcame fear—not by flight, not by freezing or fawning, but by love, grace, and understanding. God became one of us—one of His created beings—and now, as a fully thinking, feeling, experiencing person, He has made a way to rescue us. Body, mind, and spirit: learn to dance. Allow your spirit to engage with the life God promises you. The truth will set you free—to dance your way through life. Easter Blessings to all… Revd. Veronica. X
