Take 5

  What do you do when life threatens to overwhelm you? In Mark 3:4-17 we find Jesus being pressed and pushed by the crowd that followed him everywhere, even at the beach where he had gone for some “alone time”, the crowd follows. He instructs his disciples to prepare a “little boat” for him to be in and prevent the crowd overwhelming him in their need.   The devotional asked, “ Do you have a little boat ?” [1]   When life presses in and the multitude voices of need, demand, urgency, even the voices in our head, press in, do you have a place of solitude to go to?   Do you know how to find a quiet place to meet with God? During lockdown number five I have returned to a spiritual discipline or practice I learned many years ago – the art of being with God in silence and solitude.   By intentionally creating space in my day to sit in silence, in quiet alone with God allows the multitude of internal thoughts, voices, inner demands and strivings to settle.   ...

 Like many in this lockdown, I have been watching the Paralympics. Marvelling at how men and women have overcome limitations and difficulties to bring the same disciplines, co-ordination, and competitiveness to the sports arena.  It has been compelling viewing.  The image that most connected with me, however, is that of the runners with sight impairment competing with their guides. What impressed me is how the guides disciplined themselves to assist and run at the same pace as those they are looking after. They are truly their eyes but they do it in such away as their athlete gets the glory. They restrain their pace to match theirs – step by step and they hang back just as the runner crosses the line.  They train as hard, they endure as much, they no doubt experience the same nerves and maybe have another dimension of nervousness on them – they don’t want to stuff up and let their runner down!  What a great illustration of humility and servanthood.  I love ...