Today I met my dear friend and then met another dear friend! Awesome abundance all at once. We had a jolly good stomp up to the White Tower, prayed together, took in the view and well, it was lovely. We then parted company and my friend who had come for lunch and a long overdue catch up carried on walking up through Southwick Woods. However this time we went in the other direction, we strayed from our usual path and got thoroughly lost. So lost that we clocked up nearly 7 miles. It made us think.
There we were two Readers, one dyslexic and one with a shocking sense of direction! Shall we say we got value for money on our walk today but it was absolutely glorious. We as Readers have tools in our pocket, our bibles, and our readings and daily scriptures and study and as bible students are not immune to getting so engrossed (in our case a thoroughly good chat) that we did not take care of our surroundings and very, very quickly we had taken a path that literally led us in the completely opposite direction of travel. We then discussed the question of being off the path and then began to think of scripture passages that reminded us to follow the way.
Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”
Isaiah 30:21
We knew Jesus had our back, seriously we were very lost and we joked and sent a prayer up to St Anthony (lost causes) and St Jude (hopeless cases) and then heard the woodpecker quite literally laughing at us. It was the sign we needed as the sound guided us back on to the track and as we turned we could see St Peters in the distance. We laughed out loud then as always we knew we were in sight of our church family.
Equipped as we were we had been diverted. We had forgotten the fundamentals; look about you, keep focused, don't become inward (so engrossed in chatting) we did not take care of our surroundings. Then we got out Strava, checked the map and woke up to the fact we needed guidance and direction....that is what our daily scripture is for, to keep us on track, to help us focus, to be aware of the world around us and to be part of the wider community, and our church family...
"...and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work..."
2 Timothy 3:15-17
Fellow pilgrims on the way have got lost time and time again. But with good company, faith and knowing that our compass is Jesus we can swiftly find our sure footing and Jesus leads us home.
Virtual Celtic Morning Prayer at 9.30 am Friday
Peace be with you friends <><
Caroline :)
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