Reflect on this.

 What should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah? Matthew 27:22

These words spoken by Pilate have really sat with me over the years. Many years ago I had a profound experience when these words of Jesus were not just the words of Pilate but were also words I asked of my self. It was a personal  experience  of previously 'unnoticed ' words suddenly leaping off the page at me and sitting in my mind in meditation and reflection 'What should I do with Jesus' no longer words I heard Pilate saying but I found myself asking the same question. This Friday we will stand before the cross  bearing the body of Jesus and we will pause, and we will reflect and as you do so, ask the question Pilate asked but ask it of yourself. What should I do with Jesus?

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Anne, servant of the Lord

                                        In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jerusalem. 

Solid Joy.

Glorious things of you are spoken, solid joy and lasting treasure none but Zion's children know. TIS 446

I can vouch for that:

The dawn of morning, fog ridden and silent - and a magpie sings. The blaze of fiery red in the sunrise, glowing behind ghost like trees - silhouetting, shadowing, illuminating. 

 Deep blue mountains, contours clear and weaving, tips touched and painted pink by the rising sun. Autumn leaves, a kaleidoscope of colours - hanging, falling, carpeting the ground transforming beauty as the day breaks and there is a sense of God is here, in the stillness, in the quiet.

Glorious things that speak of God. Solid joy and lasting treasures.

Peace.

Anne, servant of the Lord                                                                        

                                            The dawn of morning.

A pool of heavenly peace

 '.....be filled with the Glory of the Lord.' Numbers 14:21

 We have a prayer line in the prayer book which says that we 'give thanks for the gift of this new day' but to me I like an older version which says: 'O thou to whom I owe the gift of this day's life - give me the spirit to use it as I ought. '  And I think, even in tough times like those we can experience in daily life we can always give thanks for the new day and I want to add to that a little prayer thought which says - 'create a little pool of heavenly peace within my heart - regardless.'

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ

Anne, servant of the Lord.

                                                And the new day dawned.

Angel dust

 May  the Lord bless his people with peace. Ps 29:11

Sometimes there are no words when I look to the west in the evening just on sunset and the countryside is lit with a golden light and filtering through it is what looks like fine dust of gold falling from heaven. I call that 'angel dust' sprinkling the earth for our joy and pleasure. Have you seen it?

I read this prayer by Frederick Buechner.:

Lord catch me off guard today. Surprise me with some moment of beauty  so that at least for the moment I may be startled into seeing that you are here in all your splendour, always and everywhere, beauty hidden, beneath,beyond, within this life I breathe.'

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ

Anne, servant of the Lord.

                                            Golden light

God, dressed in autumn

 May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Numbers 6:26

The autumn arrives  in that layer of  mist and fog that gives of a sense of stillness and haunting beauty. It weaves its way through the half naked trees of changing colours and tip toes through the carpet of fallen leave on the ground. There is a sense of change in the air and I can't help but say to God. ' you caused this morning glory to appear.' And then there comes the most beautiful sound, the sound of a lone magpie, paused on the fence, warbling a  beautiful song full of joy and happiness. All else is still and quiet, just this beauty and song to the dawning day - to God.

The peace of the Lord  be always with you.

Anne, servant of the Lord.

                                                        God's autumn glory.

A living sacrament

 For the beauty of the earth for the beauty of the skies TIS137

If we look to the left or to the right there is always something of beauty to see . It might be a glorious hue painted sunset or sunrise, it might be the changing leaves of autumn, it might be a for-get-me-not amidst a bed of weeds, it might be the still waters of a river pond - Lord,let the beauty of the earth be a sacrament  to  me of your beauty and holiness that speaks of a loveliness that doesn't fade.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne, servant of the Lord.

                                                        For the beauty of the skies.

A lenten reflection

 When ever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. Mark 11:25

I wonder when it was the last time that someone said ' I forgive you, ' or you asked of someone their forgiveness? It has a profound impact on us holistically when we can forgive or when we are forgiven. It lifts a weight of our shoulders and restores life. Lent is a time when I always focus more on this 'forgiveness' which we find so hard to do yet look at what Christ went through to forgive us. Perhaps its easier to not offend than to seek forgiveness? I don't know and that's for you to ponder, but this I do know as Mark Twain said:  Forgiveness is the fragrance the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne, servant of the Lord.

 

                                                Forgive them.

Love dominates

 Listen to me ! For I have excellent things to tell you.  Proverbs 8:16 (NL)

I suspect, despite some frustrated people that during this pandemic there has been more love shown in our world than we may have seen before. Sometimes when times are difficult it can bring out the best in people and love dominates even in the smallest of ways.

This  simple but lovely quote comes to mind: This little flower - its the dearest, for the message  that it brings - love is not getting, but giving.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Anne, servant of the Lord.

 

                                                   Such love.

And it all speaks of God

 Holy, holy,holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory. Isaiah 6:4

Our world is full of such exciting things that speak of God. The tiny bird with its metallic call like a tinkling bell. The beautiful single flower that ambushes us in the most unexpected places.   The honey eater drinking honey in the Bottle Brush oblivious of his surroundings as he delights in the nectar. Tiny busy ants and scurrying lizards around the garden rocks and the perfume in flowers of every kind...........an endless feast of things that speak of God and I haven't even left the garden as yet. 

May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in all ways.

Anne, servant of the Lord.

                            Ambushed by love