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Autumn is here that time of year when hedgerows come alive with buds, nuts, seeds and berries - gifts of creation that can be so easily missed as we rush by going about our hectic daily lives. There’s a route I travel on my bike that I thought I knew back to front yet it was only recently I noticed something I had not seen before even though it was directly in my eye-line. Standing before me was the most enormous bush of the biggest, blackest and scrumptious-looking blackberries I had ever seen. And as I sped by they called out: “pick me, pick me!” So I stopped to take a closer look and thought to myself: “I must get some of these!” But having searched my pannier bags for a bag but finding none I felt sure that by the time I returned someone would have bagged the lot. But I was wrong! For when I passed by several days later they were still there and probably many more besides! So I got off my bike and set to work picking as many as I could spurred on by the thought of a tasty blackberry and apple pie to come. And it was while picking that I suddenly caught sight of another gift of creation; an apple tree hanging over the cycle track (the one I had ridden along so many times before) fully laden with large, juicy, red eating apples. But there were snags! Many of the juiciest blackberries were right at the top of the bush which meant struggling through nettles, thorns and other unmentionables to get to them. And then with blood streaming down my scratched and stung fingers the heavens decided to open to give me a good soaking! But undaunted, and with a couple of pounds of delicious blackberries tucked in my pannier bags, I made my way to the apple tree to get a few apples. But the problem here was similar to that of the blackberry bush the choicest fruits were so high up in the tree that the only way to get them was to shake the tree vigorously. And down they came like a stampeded of elephants onto the concrete path below!! Isn’t that typical? Why couldn’t the ground below have been soft and grassy? But it wasn’t and so the apples lay there bruised and split and there was nothing I could do about it. But then I had an idea. If I lay my bike on its side beneath the branches and then shook the tree maybe one or two apples might just land on my pannier bags and be saved. So that’s what I did and it worked! Success! Soon I was on my way home wet, stung, with bloodstained fingers yet with enough fruit to make a coupe of pies! Wonderful! And I felt so pleased with myself. For despite the hazards and setbacks there was something rewarding about that seemingly childish adventure; I felt, somehow, a part of creation. I had actually noticed the hedgerows that day and the fruits and flowers growing there (hips, haws, honey-suckle, slows and blackberries) – gifts of creation to see or to miss! Fruits which speak of God’s creativity and goodness. And as autumn approaches I’m glad I saw what I saw during my ride. I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that through them I saw the face of God. God revealed in simple fruits that appear every year without fail in the fullness of time. Faith also flowers in the fullness of time bringing forth fruit in due season.
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As a church we are, so to speak, in the springtime of our endeavours but the harvest is coming and when it does it will be as rich as it will be abundant. That doesn’t mean there won’t be hazards to contend with along the way. But God is faithful and as co-workers with him we just need to keep on pruning, preparing, sowing and watering and leave the rest to him.
In Jesus’ name
Derek Marsh
October
2009
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