Rest Your Eyes- Look, See, Pray

Green is such a restful colour. With the sunlight passing through the leaf membranes, the greens glow; all the tiny veins form patterns linking to the Y-shape of the major stems.

It looks rather like a picture I saw of the rivers of the Amazon Basin viewed from a high satellite pass. The similarity is not just the appearance: the plant uses a “web” of veins and arteries to pass water and nutrients TO the leaf, and thus aid the chlorophyll “factory” working in the leaf bio-chemistry. The chlorophyll is what produces the green colouration. When the growing season ends, the loss of chlorophyll and water turns the leaves brown (until they shrivel or drop).

Just look at the shapes in the composition: allow your eye to wander and explore. What comes to mind? The leaf doesn’t “tell a story” it just exists… is that enough? Or is this photo a waste of space?

Being itself and being displayed can suggest value and beauty. As for meaning… aren’t some pictures valid just because they are pretty?

Let your eye linger on the photo. Does the “simple complexity” cause you to think of the wonder of life, of beauty, of the One who caused Life to be?

To look at a picture or a living scene is one way of tuning in to God’s reality and Being. Some call this practice “Visio Divina” or Divine Seeing; it is a heart-centred practice that invites the viewer to perceive God’s presence through what they see, parallel to how Lectio Divina uses scripture for meditation and prayer.

The practice emphasizes slowing down, gazing with love, and allowing the image to speak to the heart, fostering a direct encounter with the divine. It goes back to St Benedict (c500AD) or earlier: using icons, stained glass, and other forms of art.

Historically, it has been a way to make the invisible grace of God visible through art and creation. Willing to try it? Pick a picture…

(Definition provided by contemplative.org which is worth checking for more insight.)

For the curious- the leaf is a Giant Rhubarb Plant, photographed at Dunster Castle.

I Spy… Look, See, Pray

Today I visited a wetland trust site near Arundel; I was hoping to spot kingfishers and dragonflies and perhaps take a stunning photo of these beauties. I saw one kingfisher, a streak of electric blue as it whizzed past- no picture. Too fast and too small. I saw loads of dragonflies- no picture, because they stayed out of range of my macro and telephoto lens. Some were also blue, I could tell that much.

Unexpectedly, the site was blessed with and abundance of wildflowers. So I took about 200 photos of those.

To be brutally honest, many of those are “nice-but-mildly boring” flower shots. Splendid in their own way, but not obviously shouting “Look at me! I’m deep and profound!”

Then I spotted an unusual detail. A “floaty seed” of thistle or more likely Rosebay Willowherb had become trapped on a reed-stem. Despite the strong breeze, it stayed put, with its fluffy-feathery arms entwined with the reed.

This is my job- to look hard enough to SEE what a casual glance would ignore. How many photographers took a picture of this today? I’m guessing, but I reckon it is only one. Here it is, shared with you! Isn’t the structure of the seed fascinating? Geometric precision, tiny lightweight strands of fluff that act as a natural paraglider. Yet it exists not for the flight, but to carry the seed. And the seed contains all the DNA necessary to grow a new plant, a perfect copy of the parent. Without the “feathery bits” the seed would fall to the ground and overcrowd the existing plant site. Seeds are to carry far away, spread the “good news” of viable DNA, and guarantee the survival of the species. That’s what a seed is for.

I spy with my little eye, a flyable seed… something beginning with hope.

John 3 v8 says “The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit of God.”

A wind-borne seed, a resting place, and the expectation of new life. Many years earlier, Isaiah the prophet proclaimed these wonderful words: “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” – Isaiah 55 v10-11

Today I looked and saw an unexpected messenger that reminded me that God can’t be controlled by us- and that this God who has SPOKEN does not waste His Breath. The seed goes out, and God’s will is done. The Word speaks, and new life and new hope come into being.

I looked; I saw. Now my reflection on this becomes a prayer of thanksgiving and comfort. I hope it may also become yours.

(First posted to Reflectionary.org on 30 July 2026)

Voice of the Tiger- Look, See, Pray

It’s “International Tiger Day” so here’s the tiger from Whipsnade Zoo (taken a few years ago).

The tiger- a perfect predator? Amazing beauty, stunning agility and strength, and a powerful hunter. To stare into the eyes of a tiger sends shivers down the spine; the temptation to think of them as a bigger version of a domestic kitten is to be resisted. Unconquerable wildness dwells in the spirit of a tiger. They are to be admired (from a safe place!) and feared.

I remember Disney’s “Jungle Book” and scary Shere Khan- brilliantly voiced by George Sanders. I was quite young and impressionable (it’s still one of my favourite films!) and the cartoon voices of Kaa, Baloo, Shere Khan, and the Scouser vultures have stayed in my mind ever since. Such voices… especially the tiger…

“George Sanders provided the main speaking voice (of Shere Khan), giving the character a suave, baritone tone that emphasized his charm and menace” (Wikipedia)

Current conservation projects with tigers are doing a great job; yet tigers are endangered in the wild. Mostly, this is due to human encroachment on their habitats. Sadly, modern economics leaves little space for wildlife to flourish.

Theologically, the Genesis introduction to the world clearly indicates that humanity has a responsibility to be “Stewards” of Creation. To watch carelessly as the planet is abused and exploited is a grievous dismissal of accountability.

Celebrating the wonders all round us should be our decision. To praise the Creator and care for His masterpieces is our privilege not a burden!

Psalm 8
Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory
in the heavens.
Through the praise of children and infants
you have established a stronghold
against your enemies,
to silence the foe and the avenger.
When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,
what is mankind that you are mindful of them,
human beings that you care for them?
You have made them
a little lower than the angels
and crowned them with glory and honour.
You made them rulers over
the works of your hands;
you put everything under their feet:
all flocks and herds,
and the animals of the wild,
the birds in the sky,
and the fish in the sea,
all that swim the paths of the seas.
Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Look Better- Look, See, Pray

Looking carefully is the most important part of taking photos. Three pictures here illustrate this quite well. The first shows colourful heather, with green bracken hiding the existence of a steep slope towards the two big pine trees at the back. It’s an insect-rich environment- but there is more to discover.

Those two pine trees are the main point of interest in the second photo. There is a lake in the bottom of the deep gully; and more trees in the background. Can you identify the (several) black objects near the top of the pines? No? You need more information, a pointer or symbol to explain…

Picture Three: carved from the wood of a larger fallen tree, a big cup forms a “nest” – with a wooden heron perched on the side. (The black objects in pic 2 are actual live nests used by a thriving population of wild herons.)

All three pictures supply information about a Heronry in a Country Park set in the hills of Bedfordshire. All are required to tell the story of a conservation/wildlife project protecting the colony of herons, and at the same time providing fresh air and green space for human beings who benefit from exploring the “wild side” of life.

Things don’t always have simple answers or explanations. Social media & TV abbreviate conversations and explorations. The medium seeks to condense everything into a sound bite or slogan. As a result, society only picks up a portion of fact- and the truth gets whittled away when we tell others of the “thing” we have learnt.

It’s why this blog is called Look, See, Pray. First we need to have our attention on life around us, then we need to look harder so we truly SEE what is significant. Then we have to DO something with our seeing: and it can be the “spark plug” that helps us pray in an informed and passionate way. It’s sharing our observations and thoughts with our God. It’s a “Holy Noticing” that opens our eyes, mind and spirit to the glories and realities in our everyday living.

Here we can rejoice in natural beauty, wildlife and ecology; we can enjoy it with thanksgiving. And we can also appreciate the artist’s skill in carving the Heron Nest- and understand the value of a symbol that points us to a thing of wonder.

Or… we can just grunt “nice view” and mutter “why take so many photos…” and pass by the supreme design and execution of the concept of “Heron” by the Creator who made all that we see.

Star of Wonder! Look, See, Pray

Much too hot to do anything today… now sitting here in the cooler evening air, room-fan blasting away, and filing “forgotten” photos. This unidentified beauty was photographed in mid-December, in a local seafront garden. It took me by surprise: most of the garden was dormant, so discovering this flower was a real bonus.

A star-shaped gem! Golden-throated, white petals with delicate pink veins, it “glows” against its sombre foliage.

I think people start to get old when they lose their sense of wonder.

Young children live for the next wonderful surprise. Anything from a falling leaf to a fire engine is greeted with joyful squeals. “Old” folks can walk past a troupe of performing spaniels and not notice! (“Old” isn’t age as such- it’s an attitude).

I hope I don’t get that kind of “old.” My ideal is to bounce along through the years getting excited by everything that comes my way. Greeting my wonderful wife with a smile, not a grunt, and cooking her breakfast… listening to music, being thrilled by colours, enjoying books and words and jokes and good conversations… excited by the green woodpecker on my lawn last week and the golden-throated flower on a winter’s morning. Glorious wonder!

This is the feeling I get when I read the opening verses of John’s Gospel. Sheer excitement rooted in the Beginning of Beginnings, the Holy Dance of the Trinity, and the personal witness of the “disciple whom Jesus loved.” Here are the first five verses as translated in the “Message”- I hope it makes YOUR heart sing!

The Word was first,
the Word present to God,
God present to the Word.
The Word was God,
in readiness for God from day one.
Everything was created through him;
nothing- not one thing!-
came into being without him.
What came into existence was Life,
and the Life was Light to live by.
The Life-Light blazed out of the darkness;
the darkness couldn’t put it out.

(John 1:1-5, Message)

Alive! Look, See, Pray

At the earliest glimmerings of daylight, some brave women walked to the tomb of Jesus: they intended to care for his corpse with spices and cloth. Jesus was not there! It’s a fact that requires explanation. As that Resurrection Day went on, more people encountered the Risen, Living Lord. You can read their witness statements in the Gospels- start with Luke.

How can I represent the Resurrection in a photograph?

This picture is a collage made up of photos of individual Christians in one church: it hangs in the entry hall so the congregation is reminded every Sunday of two things.

1. Jesus IS alive.
2. All of the church is embraced into this new living reality. Resurrection includes us, past, present, and future.

God’s grace has rescued us; by faith- trusting active obedience- we are a part of the new Kingdom. We are “in Christ” and this fact changes everything. If we refuse to believe the evidence of history, the eyewitness testimony, and the survival & growth of the Church, then Easter is empty. That’s the choice: the empty tomb OR an empty life of futility. Mock my faith if you will; deny the Resurrection if you dare. EVERYTHING hinges on this, as St Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:12-19.

“But tell me this- since we preach that Christ rose from the dead, why are some of you saying there will be no resurrection of the dead? For if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless. And we apostles would all be lying about God- for we have said that God raised Christ from the grave. But that can’t be true if there is no resurrection of the dead. And if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins. In that case, all who have died believing in Christ are lost! And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world.”

Read it and rejoice- or read it and weep.

May the blessings of our Risen Christ be yours today and always.

Being Generous? Look, See, Pray

God calls us to a spirit of generosity. This reservoir near Hennock in Devon stores an immense volume of water. A pumphouse below the dam is always rumbling as water is fed into the pipes that take it to the homes and businesses across the county. There are two other reservoirs nearby. All the residents have to do is turn on the tap and receive a generous supply.

Do you realise there is a battle in your mind over generosity? Some fight this battle all their lives. “If I give too generously, will I run out?” There can be an argument internally over responsibility vs generosity. It isn’t an easy decision.

It isn’t my place to prescribe the level of giving for other believers. That route easily leads to a legalistic bitterness where we grudge the gifts we do make. I can, however, realistically re-assess my own level of generosity- and seek to be what Paul describes as a “hilarious giver”… I will give to the One I love and who loves me.

2 Corinthians 9:7 states that “each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful (hilarious) giver.”

Jesus gives us a glorious principle to follow: “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” – Luke 6:38. Do we think we can outgive God?

The Bible isn’t saying that we should give money IN ORDER TO RECEIVE more money (despite the error of some “health and wealth” teachings). We are challenged to generosity so that we are like God who gives everything, even to giving Jesus on the Cross.

Prosperity from God is connected to shalom-wholeness, the perfect peace of restored relationship with our Lord: becoming and being like Jesus. Limiting “prosperity” to money and possessions and fame is like selling a million-pound note for a battered old half-crown. (That’s 2 shillings and sixpence… or 22.5p in our terms).

God doesn’t deal in half-crowns… He gives us living crowns that we can offer back to Him in worship- casting our crowns before Him.

“A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.” – Proverbs 11:25

That’s making me smile right now!

Trustworthy? Look, See, Pray

There’s something missing. “No Fishing” is plain enough. But for it to be a really good/funny photo, there should be a kingfisher perching or a heron standing next to the sign. Then I could sell that pic for a decent sum. (Even a seagull perching would do at a pinch.)

Modern editing software means I could insert a suitable bird, reasonably easily, although any little mistake would mean you’d spot the cheating. There are real experts in using Photoshop who could make a blended picture so good even I’d be fooled- and I took the photo in the first place.

The altered picture would be untrue, a lie, a misrepresentation, or even a scam (if I tried to sell the photo to the media).

Does that matter? It should do! If not, we decide by default that fictional pics are acceptable “truth”… Imagine if a photographer produced fake nudes- the harm that could do to the reputation and emotional health of the victims! (Please note any similarity to the recent judgement against Gr*k could be purely a coincidence, and is not necessarily my deliberate inference).

Regular readers will know that I try to acknowledge whenever animal/bird subjects have been photographed in captivity. Or I’d be guilty of making you think I’m a better photographer than I am, with fieldcraft worthy of a professional. I’m honest about it.

Truth matters. Honesty and integrity should be integral to our chosen lifestyle.

So when politicians or preachers “add bits in” to make a powerful headline… OR leave stuff out to change the story and unduly influence the audience… it is WRONG. No smart excuses can excuse the lying. It may be expedient to lie/exaggerate/falsify but it isn’t clever and it isn’t right.

You may say I’m showing naivety. Well, I’d rather be naive and enjoy a clear conscience! I believe we should be able to expect truth and integrity from people in positions of influence and power.

After all, as a follower of Jesus (admittedly an imperfect follower) surely I must take his words seriously. “Jesus told him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him.'” – John 14:6-7.

Is it always easy to understand and apply the truth of Jesus to every part of life? I wish!!! Sometimes I reflect Jesus a bit like the reflection of the sign in the water… Sorry about that. I’ll try to be clearer.

Jesus proclaims Truth. Our Accuser, Satan, is described as the “Father of Lies.” So when we’re listening to someone, who is closest to Truth? The sad fact is that we tend to become like the one we pay attention to… so truth IS rather vital. Who are we listening to- and how are they forming us?

On the Brink- Look, See, Pray

Balanced on the brink… two Canada geese on the weir-step of the River Wye in Bakewell. They have mastered the art. The top of the weir is narrow, slippery, and the current flows quite strongly- any person trying to cross would be odds-on for a cold bath. Kids sometimes try this sort of stunt, much to the alarm of watching adults. That’s because the adults recognise the risks.

Watching the river water cascade down the step is fascinating. Every now and again a duck will use the weir as a “down escalator” by lifting its webbed feet and sliding on the current and over the edge. I never saw any geese trying the same trick- but who knows?

It all reminds me of the perilous politics of brinkmanship. The Middle East is aflame (again) as a result of extreme leaders on both sides daring each other to “have a go.” Balanced on a slippery platform,

I don’t have expertise in international power-politics. All I will say about that is my concern for the innocents caught up in another war. That leads me to urge prayer for peace and justice; without God’s intervention the prospect of peace is vanishingly small. Do our prayers make a difference? I believe so.

This morning a phrase came to mind as we prayed at church. “We are the antibiotics sent by God to address the fever of the world.”

Christians who pray and act on their prayers achieve more than we realise. Our union with Christ makes us part of the Kingdom of God, and our words and actions are an expression of Jesus lived into the world. We pray out of compassion, and, if we’re honest, out of fear. But also out of duty: for our faith means we take an active position as peacemakers. Sharing the heart of God in the face of violence and tragedy, we intercede for all sides and trust that the Lord can in some way use our prayerful concern.

Out of chaos, order. Out of disaster, hope. Perhaps, even, out of the dis-ease of violence there can emerge a just peace.

We are not standing on the brink for the thrill of the ride! But we are here in the Name and authority of Jesus, Prince of Peace. Lord, in your mercy, heal our world. Amen.

Unexpected- Look, See, Pray

I don’t want to go on and on about it… but we’ve had a surplus of rain recently. There have been local floods (an inconvenience rather than a disaster) and the ground of Sussex is very soggy.

My photo shows what can happen if prolonged rain or a severe storm hits a mountain. Alpine weather is volatile!

Normally this is a small stream, trickling gently through the rocks. Overnight it changed. A sharp thunderstorm played “night light” music with flashes and booms- the next morning, the stream was a raging torrent. I used a slow exposure time of one-fifth of a second, which has recorded the water as pale veils ripping down the slope; spray “varnished” the rocks so they glistened moistly. The speed and power of the waterfall was quite intimidating (and the noise was high decibel).

How do we cope with the unexpected? It gives new motivation! Sudden and dramatic change, possibly a threat, dealing with the consequences of circumstances beyond our control?

Pretending we aren’t affected is silly. Relying on the time-honoured “stiff upper lip” of English stereotype may soften immediate panic, but doesn’t help us regain control. It also tries to hide vulnerability. Claiming exemption from consequences/suffering through faith may sound spiritual, but has little scriptural support!

Both Old and New Testaments promise that God will be with us:
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” – Isaiah 41:10

“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’” – Hebrews 13:5

In the words of Jesus himself: “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” – Matthew 28:20

Christian discipleship is about walking in the way of Jesus, seeking to grow closer to Him, and acting out the same kind of actions as Jesus. Even a brief read through the Gospels will show that Jesus did NOT evade the trials and tensions of life. He faced danger and treachery; he confronted the proud and comforted the struggling.

His last hours must have felt like the impact of a terrible storm, yet his love for humanity allowed him to face the Cross, even Death.

One final thing about waterfalls… further downstream, the water will bless many. The fields will be enriched, the thirsty assuaged, and Life will spring from the torrent.

So it is with Jesus: the life taken on a Cross gained Resurrection and became the hope of all the ages and all the world.

God-who-is-with-us stays alongside; Life bubbles up from within. Two final scriptures offer the most wonderful hope in the Universe:

John 7:38-39: “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’”

Revelation 22:1-2: “Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb.”

Living water, the water of Life… the deluge of grace to the thirsty heart & soul. Drink deep!