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Focus
Focus is the bi-monthly magazine of Brislington United Reformed Church.
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Pastoral Letter
August 2006
“They are like plants in the field, tender green shoots…”
(2Kings. 19:26) |
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Dear friends
Summer is here at last which means that for many of us thoughts will be turning to holidays away or, if we are staying at home, to taking a well earned break relaxing in the sunshine. And I am doing just that as I write this letter. For as I write it is 7-30am and already baking hot in the garden of this beautiful holiday cottage on the edge of the Cotswolds where Linda and I are taking a short break with friends: cycling, walking, sketching and just enjoying the scenery. Global warming maybe a reality but after a long, cold winter it is refreshing to be touched by the warmth of the sun. In summer everything comes alive and as I sit here I can hear the sounds of nature all around me: wood pigeons, a sky lark, blackbirds, honey bees, sheep and cattle. Summer is also a colourful season as bedding plants, hanging baskets, and flowers of every variety come into bloom and in so doing give our eyes a truly glorious treat. And last weekend here in the village the church held a very successful flower festival on the theme of English Kings and Queens. For several days the church was a treasure house of stunning flower arrangements each one depicting the regal colours associated with a past monarch. And what a rich variety there were: Lilies, Roses, Bird of Paradise, Carnations, Chrysanthemums, Sweet William etc – the scent was magnificent! Summer is also the season of light when the long, leisurely days give us so much more time to do the things we want to with family and friends. Summer, then, is a time of colour and also of light which is very important from a Christian perspective. For the Bible tells us that God is light yet Isaac Newton proved several centuries ago that light is not white but a spectrum of colours when passed through a prism. So we could say that God is light and also “colourful” too! And we could take this a stage further and say that the Bible is a book of colours for whichever book we open we are sure to find something descriptive and colourful there - whether it is Noah’s rainbow, Joseph’s coat of many colours, the blue, purple and scarlet yarn of Exodus, the red sky in Matthew or the green trees in Luke etc. If you look carefully you will find many colours in the Bible and where they are implied rather than specified all we need is a bit of imagination to bring the scene to life – for life is colourful. And so as we sit admiring the plants in our gardens this summer or enjoying them while away on holiday in their natural habitat we see the creator all around us.
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And when we pause to admire the perfection and beauty of a particular bloom we are, metaphorically speaking, looking into the very face of God. So enjoy the summer wherever you spend it and may the light of the Lord shine upon you in its many facets.
In Jesus’ name
Derek Marsh August 2006
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"Derek Marsh Assembly Accredited
Lay Preacher" |
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