Blessed Nostalgia? Look, See, Pray

Indulge me in a spot of nostalgia! Today’s delectable weather included high winds and heavy showers, so I decided to look for some sunshine & warmth. Bees on sunny-scented warm lavender did the trick! Imagining the gentle droning of happy bees is a lovely way to spend some indoors time.

Can nostalgia be a spiritual practice or discipline?

It depends on what we are hankering after. To live in the past is not ideal, especially if it causes us to devalue the present or future.

On the other hand, we are shaped by our personal experiences and social history, and we need the perspective that can be gained. Someone I know who regularly makes the same mistake, time after time, is both annoying and pitiful. Another acquaintance has gained wisdom and reputation by taking the time to learn from a range of experience AND apply that wisdom to support and guide others.

Looking back can be helpful- or dangerous. Lot’s wife “looked back” at her old life and was turned into a pillar of salt (see Genesis 19). There is a salt-rock feature near the Dead Sea named “The Pillar of Lot’s Wife.”

More positively, there are several instances where Israelites erected altars or stone monuments, dug wells, and planted trees where a significant God-encounter happened. These reminded them of the nature and power of God, and inspired Israel to put the Lord first. These became symbols of faith and obedience.

Now, I am a “visual” person. I respond to what I see, and find inspiration in observing and photographing the handiwork of our Creator. So my collection of photos is like a Book of Psalms- I use them to remember, to praise God, to be thankful, and to learn from the actions and interactions I have seen. Which is why this ‘Look, See, Pray’ page exists. Bees and plants (etc) can be keys to unlock the soul.

If you respond in similar ways, your own photos or paintings may serve you well. Or perhaps for you it is sound, smell, taste or touch that can unlock good spiritual nostalgia. Try them out: see what helps you enter the Presence of Christ. Used alongside Word & Spirit, nostalgia can be a blessing to lead you onward with God.

And if you find ‘Look, See, Pray’ stimulating, please recommend or forward posts to others. Thanks and bless you!

Frosted Clarity- Look, See, Pray

Frost has outlined these little beauties. Rims and veins have attracted icy crystals which accentuate the shapes and forms of flower, berry and leaf. It makes for a nice picture!

You may be surprised to know it can help us do theology too.

Theology is “God Knowledge/Thinking.” The information we have, the principles we hold to, and the interpretation of God’s revelation enable us to begin to comprehend God. We debate, discuss, argue, theorise, and write BIG books! (Wouldn’t it be helpful sometimes to have a simpler explanation, a short book or cartoon instead? If so, read on about the frosty rose!)

Christians have prepared summaries of what we believe: we call them Creeds. “I believe in God the Father…” is the beginning of the Apostles’ Creed (one of the mainstream standards). These Creeds have been agreed by many believers over many years, and are often familiar to most churchgoers.

Each Creed sets out statements of faith; the things we agree on as “standard” for Christianity. They set out a “map” of faith, rather like the frost on the rose petals. We see where each one fits, what’s “in” as a part of normal faith. (There are, of course, differences of emphasis and nuance between the churches! But bear with me on the main principle.)

We cannot fully comprehend God- but one central Christian belief is that God has been and is self-revealing. We can see the Divine in Creation itself- through beauty and awe. The Bible is a written collection of the history of God’s interaction with humanity, inspired by God and amazingly effective at teaching us about God and His Ways.

I suppose we could write different doctrines on every petal to make it even clearer. For example: the nature of God; Creation; Salvation; Bible; Ethics, etc., etc.

Theology is the whole rose- but the parts can be looked at separately. We can always discover and experience more of God; so our study is open-ended, and there are “mysteries” as well as plain and obvious truths. But even if the rose is a symbol for theology, God is above and beyond it- the Gardener who is greater than the rose (or the whole garden).

Do you get the idea? Just as the frost has highlighted nature’s beauty, so choosing particular aspects of faith to study helps to make sense of the bigger picture.

The best starting place?

The life, teaching, death and resurrection of Jesus. As set out in the four Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, we are introduced to the best self-revelation of God.

As Jesus said, “If you have seen me, you have seen the Father.” (John 14 v9)

Start here: GO.

Rainbows- Look, See, Pray

I love that delicious moment when we find ourselves at the edge of a passing storm… the sun peeks through, and a rainbow ignites. Arching across the skies, those gorgeous colours offer us hope.

Life will always have storms. But the Lord God gives us rainbows. Do we fear the storm- or celebrate the rainbow?

One encouraging phrase sometimes used during tough times is “This too shall pass.” It’s true enough- I have a 100% record of surviving bad times (so far). But that is small comfort when we have to face the harsh realities of sickness or grief, when we -or those we love- seem caught up in a tornado of trial or terror.

Jesus offered something more reliable: in Matthew 24:35 (NLT) he says:-
“Heaven and earth will disappear,
but my words will never disappear.”

That promise shines like a rainbow against the darkening sky. A technicolour guarantee! Jesus speaks- and gives Life.

Later, in 1 Cor 13 v13, Paul commented that it all boils down to this:

“Faith, Hope, and Love shall remain-
and the greatest of these is Love.”

Gray Hair- Look, See, Pray

To see myself as others see me… Two brothers, about 6-ish, were chasing each other. Then the slightly bigger one called out “Don’t run into the old man.”

Bloomin’ cheek! Calling me old. Just because I have white hair, a walking stick, and am hobbling along slowly… I’m not old.

“Not really old,” I said, hobbling to the next bench to rest my aching legs…

Sitting and enjoying the autumn scenery made me feel at home. Right in front of me, was a reed bed whose seedheads blended beautifully with my once-golden, now-discounted-to-silvery, hair.

I consoled myself with the hope that age might be bringing wisdom. Anyway, who wants to run around at high speeds, scaring septuagenarians? Let’s have a little respect. That. of course, is exactly what the youngster did- he thought about my safety, and educated his brother at the same time. Their parents should be proud of their sons: they have been well taught.

It reminded me of a bible verse that I chuckled over when I was young – and gray hair seemed like another generations’ problem…

God has made a promise to His people. It’s not funny any more. Now I’m comforted by it.

“Listen to me, family of Jacob, 
everyone that’s left of the family of Israel.
I’ve been carrying you on my back
from the day you were born,
And I’ll keep on carrying you when you’re old.
I’ll be there, bearing you when you’re old and gray.
I’ve done it and will keep on doing it,
carrying you on my back, saving you."
                                      - Isaiah 46 v3-4 (Message)

Time to Breathe- Look, See, Pray

Living in a seaside town means the pace slows down when the holiday makers go home at the end of summer.

Traffic levels drop off a bit, and the seafront changes character. The kid’s playgrounds shuts down, the crazy golf closes, and the pier goes quiet. I remember a time when the pier was longer, and speedboats offered high-speed rides- such a thrill. The more sedate could take a donkey ride, or hire a deckchair.

It’s as if the town takes a breath before next year’s visitors.

That’s a good thing for the town: and it is a good thing for people to do the same. Early morning at low tide, a huge expanse of wet sand is exposed, with scattered soft rocky boulders ruling over little briny lakes. The sand is patterned with ripples by the receding water. A few crabs, some seaweed, worm casts, not much else to take the eye.

Early low sun-rays turn the sand into a glaring bright mirror. Locals take the opportunity to walk the sands, exercise the dog, breathe deeply of the salt-tanged air. Precious time to breathe; solitary if you like, or friendly passing chats with the dogs (and sometimes the owners!).

How wonderful to set mind and spirit at rest.

Praying whilst walking can be helpful practice. Sharing your thoughts with God, acknowledging His Presence with praise, and even working through doubts, fears, or troubles.

Meditating on a few verse from the Bible (or one of the great themes of faith or theology) can be a real blessing. Take a breath- and inhale the gracious Love of God with every step. Imagine walking alongside Jesus beside the sea and share a conversation…

Here is one passage to meditate on to seek deeper Wisdom:

“For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity.”
Proverbs 2:6-7

Take a breath. It will bless you- and bring you closer to Jesus.

Viennese Whirl? Look, See, Pray

The iconic Ferris Wheel in Vienna should have been demolished in 1916- but the Empire couldn’t afford it. Since then it has become a famous landmark, and appeared in the film “The Third Man” and also in a Bond film, “The Living Daylights.”

A local saying is that if you ride the wheel and see the whole of Vienna from there, you will love the city forever.

On our visit to Vienna, we didn’t have time to queue for tickets, so we only saw the Ferris Wheel from the tour bus. The effect worked at least partially- I’d love to go back and spend more time in Vienna- a city of beautiful architecture and great culture.

But apart from the classic engineering and the stunning view, the wheel has little value. It goes round, the cars rise, crest, and descend- and that’s it.

Is that how most of us see life? A treadmill with a good view?

Repetitive behaviour is part of life. We sleep, wake, eat, work, eat, and sleep. Assuming we are fortunate enough to get more than meal a day.

A Ferris wheel is essentially an entertainment. Life is a journey with purpose- or should be. Western society is in danger of being entertained to death! There must be more to life than this.

I am reminded of the experience of Zaccheus in Luke 19:1-10. He was a tax officer of dubious ethics- the basic way of tax collecting for the Roman provinces was to raise whatever the Governor told you to collect: and anything else you could extort was yours to keep. To say they were unpopular is a major understatement.

Yet Zaccheus realised his life was a failure. Having heard that Jesus was nearby, Zaccheus (a short bloke) climbed into a tree to listen. Imagine his shock when Jesus (against all custom and religious purity) invited himself to Zac’s place for a meal and chat! Everyone else was horrified- didn’t Jesus realise this was a SINNER, traitor, collaborator, tax collector!!!

Of course Jesus did. Upshot- Jesus was unpopular with the self-righteous snobs, Zac’s life was turned around, and the people who’d been ripped off were generously compensated. The Kingdom of God moved in, and turned the world upside down.

Jesus said that He was here to do what the Heavenly Father required. His call to Zaccheus (and us today) is to follow that way- to walk alongside Jesus, and do what God wants done.

It’s riskier, but it sure beats a Ferris wheel ride!

Becoming Aware- Look, See, Pray

Cooler moist air, early angled sunshine, and a spider’s web becomes an artwork: its fragility set off beautifully by the smooth solid rose-hips adding hints of colourful, warm, apricot.

Eureka! The kind of web that when not lit up can be walked into by us as well as bugs which then enlivens mornings with an impromptu outburst of spluttering interpretative dance.

Suddenly all the delicate structure of the engineering of a web is plain to see. How did spiders ever learn to do that?

The complexity of a garden eco-system is astonishing. So many creatures taking part in the interweaving dynamic of Life. Then the plants that provide beauty, food, cover and more. From ant to tree, there is a place for everything. Most of the events in our gardens happen without our awareness. Life and death conflicts go on in the grasses, the soil, and the air. Hidden birds burst into song (which we sometimes fail to notice- that is surely a crime!).

Becoming aware of the life around us is important. It sets us in the proper context as part of our home, our community, our world.

We will see, hear and smell things that lift our consciousness, and even open us on a spiritual level. Respect for creation often leads to a deeper respect, a reverence, towards God. Theologians talk about God being “immanent” – being present in and sustaining life- and this means God can be encountered in and through the stream of life we are part of. Grace roosts in our treetop, waiting to fly down to our shoulder.

As we step into our home, into our garden, onto our day’s journey, we are on holy ground. God is present, and through encountering His Presence we participate in holiness. We are “set aside” for a holy purpose which can be worked out wherever our day takes us.

My day started with a spider’s web. And I sensed the pleasure of Jesus as I photographed it, and as I started to write about the experience. God is here, as He always has been. Now, I am aware.

Psalm 113:4-6

The Lord is high above all nations;
His glory is above the heavens.
Who is like the Lord our God,
Who is enthroned on high,
Who humbles Himself to behold
The things that are in heaven and in the earth?

Beauty as a Key- Look, See, Pray.

Beauty in Nature is evident to most people, whether the colours of a flower or the song of a blackbird. A raspberry picked and eaten fresh is an exquisite experience; the gentleness of new beech leaves is like stroking satin. To be deprived of one or more of our five senses is rightly considered to be a great loss.

I have discovered that enjoying beauty in nature is a key that unlocks my spiritual senses. Finding the “fingerprint” of the Creator excites my spirit as well as emotions. So I use photography as a means to “record” God’s creative thought; it allows me to use Nature as a staircase to climb nearer to God.

Beauty is, for me at least, part of a three-pronged strategy for worshipping and knowing God. Becoming sensitive to the Presence and action of the Holy Spirit is the second “prong” – this is the hardest to explain as it is a “knowing” that is partly revelation of God and partly my attuned intuition. Third, but by no means least, is the role of Scripture. This is the written form of the Lord’s revealing grace through history, poetry, narrative, and prophecy- it is VITAL.

Bible “reading” by itself is good: then the effort that goes into truly comprehending the Books so they can inform and guide is considerable. Four years at Bible College was only the beginning of the beginning of me discovering Truth, paradox, mystery, and divine grace.

Learning to “do the Bible” is truly praiseworthy; the reading must affect our hearts as well as our mind. If not, we may become well-educated pieces of dead wood! Knowledge about God cannot take the place of KNOWING God.

Sometimes we struggle for closeness to God, and beat ourselves up about not reading the Bible enough (and/or not praying enough).

So if you find yourself “running rough” (or failing to connect through what we might call “religious acts”), try this approach route:

Go and FIND something absolutely BEAUTIFUL. Contemplate your “find” and ask questions of yourself (and of God).

1. Why does this move me?
2. How have I experienced God through beauty in the past?
3. What is it about this particular “beauty” that impacts my spirit?
4. Lord God, what are YOU saying to me in this?
5. Lord, please will you help me to draw closer through this beauty, and remind me of Scriptures that speak further of Your Love; then allow Your Spirit to breathe life, fire or living water in to my soul.

By the way, aren’t Foxgloves pretty?
Enjoy the photo- and seek Jesus through it!

Gnibbled by Gnats- Look, See, Pray

Gnibbled by gnats. Grrr. Not a major problem, more of an irritating inconvenience. What do gnats gnibble when they can’t eat people?

Little things with an impact far bigger than we expect can be distracting, annoying, and disruptive. Untreated- or worse still, scratched bloody- what seem like tiny aggravations can become a danger to our bodies or peace of mind.

We tend to think that it’s the major crisis or awkward problem that will cause most grief in life. Strangely, sometimes we cope better with the big things: they demand our attention and time, and we can’t ignore them. So we get on with it or get help. But gnat bites demand that we focus on them… and mosquitoes are even worse! (If you ever visit Yosemite Valley, don’t stand by the rivers without protective clothing… I did. Once. Aargh!)

Imagine standing here, admiring the mountains and river, and losing it when the itching starts. Each gnibble is insignificant(-ish). Together, they torment and terrorise our very being!

Perhaps I’m the only weak one. You may be strong-willed and single-minded. But so often in my experience it’s the “trivial” troubles that derail my progress: especially my discipleship. Following the Way of Jesus is never easy; and the small annoying habits and “I should know better” choices that make my path stonier than it need be.

The “Letter to the Hebrews” calls on us to emulate those faithful Christlike people who have run the race before us, often paying a higher cost than us, and overcome the big and little trials of faith. How? By fixing our focus on the One who overcame even the Cross. It sounds simple, even simplistic. Will we be beaten by the gnats that gnibble? Or the lions that roar? Or run to win the prize?

Hebrews 12:1-2
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

It takes all sorts- Look, See, Pray

This striking thistle-like plant is Eryngium “Big Blue”, commonly known as Sea Holly.

Tall and spiky, it contrasts well with more typical “flowery” flowers. Round the head are myriad tiny flowers, popular with bees, then a crown of blue bracts. The stems range from green to strong purple and the plant stands strong long after the pollinators have finished their busy labouring.

Gardens benefit from variety of species: it gives ongoing interest, successions of colour, and a series of amazing shapes- the garden becomes architectural.

Would you choose Sea Holly over a fragrant rose? Or exclude the fruit bushes? Maybe not: but in the right place, eryngium will perform valuable service. And it is an intriguing form. They can all belong.

Gardens make quite a good example of effective churches. Some are full of one main crop. Others go showy, bright colours and “perfect” specimens. Cottage gardens have a bit of everything! Veg, herbs, fruit and flowers mixed in glorious chaos… well, apparent chaos. Proper chaos has to be planned, you know!

St Paul, in 1 Corinthians 12:17, says something profound: “If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything?”

Plant, garden, body, church… they all benefit from a full range of “parts” each with a different appearance and function. Such diversity is to be welcomed and celebrated. It may mean that we don’t end up in churches where everyone is just like me (or you). That might seem desirable or sensible, but it is very limiting.

Colossians 1:20 reminds us that “through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.”

The Church is to be the agency of reconciliation; and a shining example of grace enabling variety, diversity, and love.

You may be a rose, a gooseberry bush, or a piece of Sea Holly. Be what you are, JOYFULLY, and together we will all come closer to Christ. Growing together is fun!