We are meeting at the Tavern And Galley this week at 7:30pm – all are welcome to join us for our conversation.
Apologies for anyone who has heard me preach around my sabbatical and some of the things that came up in it. This blog may repeat some of those things but hopefully our discussion is useful and those that haven’t heard it can bring their own insight.
The topic for this month was the very small issue of transfiguration and glory revealed. If you don’t know some of the stories that connect with this from the Old and New Testament then picture bright lights, clouds, and a sense of the divine presence surrounding those present. This moment of encounter is a transforming moment and it changes those that see and experience it.
One of the things I did with my time on sabbatical is try and pay attention to the world around me a little more. Sometimes this was in fun ways, sometimes trying to be more attentive to where God was at work in and around me. It involved sitting on benches, a lot of walking, taking photos listening, smelling, drinking coffee and eating cake.
Whilst in this time I read a book by Martin Shaw called Liturgies of the Wild. I thought it was book about storytelling but it turned out also to be a book about the authors journey with faith and coming to be a follower of Jesus. He tells a story about him discovering that the world is much bigger than he had ever imagined and you can listen to this here https://youtu.be/VEr7aA10SdY?si=_f_OG3NG6u2W3QUD&t=2295 and watch to about 50 mins in.
If you don’t have time Martin shares the story of the final day of his 101 days spent listening to the wild to see if it had anything to say to him. What that last evening brought opened him up to something far bigger than he realised. Like the glory falling on the temple and Jesus’ transfiguration this was a moment that crackled with divine presence. For Shaw the moment itself didn’t immediately change him but it started a journey that did transform him, and continues to transform him over time.
This is a fairly significant sign or wonder and a lot of what I say about paying attention is about noticing the overlooked and the forgotten. Seeing the things that normally we don’t see or taking a moment to smell what is riding on the wind or hear the sounds beyond the noise of the traffic. If you listen to Martin speak you will hear that he does all that, he is aware, having been a wilderness guide for many years, of the sounds that are around him and alert to what they might mean. This got me thinking that may be sometimes these significant moments of bright lights, clouds, strange guests on mountains sides and arrows falling from heaven are part of seeking out God in all those small ways. Maybe we miss some of these big things because we aren’t even looking for the small. May be there is a discipline to paying attention, that it has to be more than fleeting moments but sustained looking and longing to see God at work. 101 nights in a dark forest is a lot of noticing before having that moment of glory.
Questions
What is the wildest thing you have seen on a walk? Photos of these moments get bonus points
What is the wildest place you have ever spent the night?
Have you noticed anything this week that caught your attention or seemed odd that you have been mulling over?
Have you ever had a moment where something akin to bright lights and clouds has happened to you?
How can we get better at noticing what God is doing and saying to us in the world around us?
Has been a part of BeachcomberFX since his arrival in the North East in 2014. He is well travelled (at least in the UK) having lived in Manchester, Nottingham, Derbyshire, Southport, Doncaster, Berwick and Edinburgh. Supporter of Newcastle United, will watch any sport.