Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Taken up by Wonder

In an article I read today called "Taken up by Wonder", Margaret Manning shares about how a friend of hers introduced her to gardening:
"She knew that gardening would introduce me to the extraordinary in the ordinary. You cannot help but begin to pay attention to the tiniest details as you garden, and in turn, begin to notice all kinds of other awe-producing details all around you. The varieties of the color green in the trees, grasses, plants and shrubs, the nuances of blue and aqua hues that shimmer on lakes and oceans, and the little creatures that share the world with us--birds, rabbits, coyotes, skunk, deer, dogs, and cats."

It made me think of quote from the movie Amazing Grace, which you should see if you get the chance.

William Wilberforce is lying in the wet grass, looking at spiderwebs, and flowers when his servant approaches, looking slightly surprised to find his master rolling around on the ground.

The Wilberforce's explanation is fascinating (Note: this is not supposed to be word for word, I'm going from memory here :)
William:
"I know if isn't normal to be lying down on wet grass you know"

Servant:
"It's not my place to question sir."

William:
"It's God you know, here I am in the prime of life ready to embark on my career and make some of the biggest decisions in life, and all I want to do is look at cobwebs and smell flowers."




It seems to me that Wilberforce had been captured by the beauty that God places around us every day.

Margret Manning goes on to say:
"Indeed, the psalmist suggests that the very detailed elements of creation proclaim the glory and worship of God: 'The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of his hands!' (Psalm 19:1)."


When was the last time you stopped to admire a cobweb, or spent time in a garden smelling flowers. Some times we make our lives too busy to enjoy God's creation.

Why not give it a try?

Wednesday, August 01, 2007

Serving up the Fruit

Galatians 5: 22- 23:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

At Eastside Apo's Saturday night service this week Clive Smit made an off handed comment about serving up the fruit of the spirit to those around us. This shouldn't be a massive revelation, but it suddenly dawned on me, the fruit of the spirit is served up to others.
We (or maybe it was just me?) think of the fruit of the spirit as something we should get, something we should acquire but actually the fruit of the spirit is what we serve up to others. That doesn't mean we shouldn't try to be more filled with the fruit of the spirit, it just moves the focus not on what I should put in my life, but on how my life affects others.

Who benefits when you show patience, love, self-control, etc? Sure there is some benefit to me in that it might grow me or save me from upsetting a friend but the one who really benefits is the person I am patient with, the person who doesn't get a tongue lashing because I showed self-control.

No wonder there is no law against such things! The Fruit of the Spirit are first and foremost gifts to the world.