Lent Seventeen "Get up and Walk"

 

Bond (2004) By Terry Winters,
Cooley Galley, Reed College Seattle

God, who winds our sundials.  

Lichtenberg, Aphorisums, 1764-99    

I can relate to the life of Georg Lichtenberg.  He admired English writers, in particular Henry Fielding; in particular, his book 'Tom Jones'.  He attempted to emulate this writing, but only made it to the third page.  Litchenberg noticed that there is so much we take for granted.  The countless miracles happening all around us every day.  Of the enormous, powerful sun, which rotates daily round and round my sundial.  A friend of mine some time ago, told me of the thought he had when standing in a vineyard in the south of France with the rain lashing down.  He realised that he was witnessing the miracle of the water turning into wine.

The Letter to the Hebrew People Chapter Eleven

Faith brings knowledge of security about the future. There is so much we cannot see that requires faith. People from history are celebrated for the faith they displayed. Only by faith can we understand how the universe came into being. By faith people honour the Creator, giving their best, when the Creator is invisible. By faith old people continue to trust in their relationship with the Creator as they approach the inevitability of death. By faith people set out on projects they believe are right when others see them as impossible or foolhardy. By faith some people leave their communities and travel to live in other countries with other peoples. By faith people believe that they will have children when science tells them it’s impossible. All these people ‘tread lightly on the earth’ holding onto their relationship with their Creator foremost. By faith our ancestor Abraham did as he thought he was instructed, and was prepared to kill his only son, as the people of the time were doing. This was despite the Creator promising that he would be head of many peoples. Abraham knew that the Creator had an ultimate plan that would succeed. It was by faith that our forefathers trusted that our people would survive against the odds. It was by faith that our people survived their turbulent history, with the threat of extermination occurring many times. Different people knew their part and were able to help, saving lives in the nick of time. There are so many stories I could relate that illustrate this wonderful quality which is to be treasured. Many people suffered greatly, and never saw the ultimate goal of peace and justice. But they knew that their Creator was to be trusted and ultimately had control over their story. We now see what the plan was and the route made clear to restoration and completeness. 

PRAYER:  I wonder at the beauty of your creation every day.  May I see your hand in everything.