Category Archives: hope

Washing

bible, faith, follow, God, hope, Jesus, lent, love, theology,

Jesus Washing the Feet of his Disciples (Albert Edelfelt) - Nationalmuseum - 18677

John 13:1-20

This is it!
Resonances clanging,
echoes chiming
in my heart and mind.

This is what Mary did,
so recently.
Poured out her all
in an offering.
She gave her everything,
now Jesus is giving his everything.

He,
God here among us,
King of all kings,
kneels
at our feet
and gently,
tenderly,
lovingly,
washes them.
Soothes them,
cleans them,
deals with the cuts and blisters,
and gently pats them dry.

***

Our feet,
as wandering disciples
had been the tools of our trade,
what took us with him,
the sign of our following
and wanting to be with him,
to walk in his footsteps.

He stoops
to bring refreshment,
healing,
and the ability to go further.

How can I let him do this?

Surely I should be washing his feet,
showing my service to him.

But no,
he wants to tend me,
restore me,
and refresh me.

To not let him
is to turn my back on him,
to all he offers me.
He wants me
to learn to tend others,
and like with everything else,
he shows me the way.
His way,
the on your knees way,
the not afraid of dirt way,
the not too great for this way.

Lord,
may I learn
and live
as a washer,
a kneeler,
a restorer
in you.

 

Taken from my book: Voices Through Holy Week and Easter available through Moorleys

VoicesThroughHolyWeekandEaster-1

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Perambulating

faith, God, hope, life, theology, , , ,

This place has become very precious to me this year. Though walking has become more and more of a struggle I have walked it (very slowly!) through its seasons – and through mine. I have walked it in anger, in frustration, in pain, in despair and in longing. I have walked it when walking was the only thing I could do – and when it was a struggle to do at all. It has been my safe place, my church when I couldn’t do church, my place of peace, of refuge, of hope, of healing. I have watched new life blossom here and life leave and die back.

Now though everything is stark and pared back it still stands in beauty. The life within lives on, whatever the outward appearance. There will be new life in its time.


And so, I have walked and prayed for those very much in my heart and myself for hope, for peace, for new life, for strength, and God’s healing – whatever that will look like in each place. In our vulnerability and pain may we each allow God to reach us, hold us close, carry us when we need it, give us a gentle shove at the right moment and bless us in his abundance.

 

 

Voices Through Holy Week and Easter

church, Easter, faith, God, hope, Jesus, Lectionary, lent, Religion, theology, Voices Through Advent and Christmas, , , ,

2016-01-19 12.25.24

I’m sad to say that nothing new is likely to be posted on this blog for the foreseeable future, but just to let you know that Voices Through Holy Week and Easter is now available.  This is a collection of work I’ve produced over the years, now available in this booklet form.

It is an ideal resource for Easter, covering bible passage from Palm Sunday to The Resurrection from all four gospels.  In each passage we hear the voice of the character questioning, exploring, finding the truth – in themselves and Jesus, ultimately leading to the question ‘What about me?’

Available from Moorleys or contact me on voicesthrough@outlook.com. Price £4.50 + postage

Thank you again to everyone for your support – for this blog and for these two booklets which seem to have rounded off the work of the blog over the years.