https://youtu.be/WCyrAgBxXnU Blessed Assurance. Steph Mcleod
It was one of those moments that will stay with me. Golden sunshine sparkling and emerging from behind the cotton wool clouds this morning, highlighting 3 hares working their way across the field. Standing still and hardly daring to breathe it was a magnificent sight. An affirmation of new beginnings, new life, new starts and refreshment.
I had just been listening to Lectio 365 and Pray as you Go this morning, 19th May; both resonating with me at this moment. It was the closing prayer of Pray as you Go which felt like a bolt of lightening…
“Talk to God now…you might like to ask the Holy Spirit to flood into your surrendered life today and guide you…”
…so I did. I asked that the Holy Spirit would fill close ones with refreshment and renewal and was rewarded with hot sun and 3 hares. Hares in art history are often associated with the Resurrection. That is what stopped me in my tracks that 3 hares reminded me of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. They are just hares, not special mystical animals, or pagan, just hares; but the association renewed within me and reminded me of God’s presence always there and with us and holding us, guiding us, shepherding us
and loving us and the power of that love in the Crucifixion and the Resurrection.
The daily reading Acts 20:28-38 and specifically “Keep watch over yourselves and over all the flock, of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God that he obtained with the blood of his own Son”
Alluding to the shepherd again… The nurture of our colleagues, friends and loved ones, pilgrims on the road together. The ‘it’s not just about us’ but the readiness to share the Good News in a gentle, ministerial and shepherded way. Shepherds work hard in training. Conversation between dog and shepherd, team work - actually if you think about it from two different traditions - dog and human! But working together in harmony to make the managing of the flock work. Two colliding cultures and languages alien to each other in communication and relationship. Dog’s and cats (for that matter with slightly more distain!) sense and ‘read’ us in ways we don’t understand. Jesus our Good Shepherd teaching circa 30-33 AD through parables was trying to communicate and disseminate the very radical and different concepts surrounding tradition of relationship with God. The laying of foundations of a new way to live and to love the Lord our God in all we do first and then to love one another as ourselves….big, BIG concepts and often seemingly a foreign language and quite alien to many who heard Jesus at first hand. All this seen in 3 hares! But the wild animals of the fields are part of that continuing narrative, our task to look after what God has given us alongside that of the Resurrection and Kingdom to come.
There is a back story to the hares though. The day my Dad died (18 years last Saturday) in the aftermath and with Mum at the bottom of their garden; in the field over the fence, a massive hare appeared. At that same moment I had an overwhelming sense that ‘it was ok’ Dad was ok, and resting in the arms of the Lord. Dad was tired, his body worn out and his heart literally just gave up. Our hearts were totally broken at the suddenness of it all but the feeling was that ‘it was ok, God is with you’ and it has never ever left me. Powerful; hence my very personal association of hares and that of the Resurrection and to reiterate the Kingdom to come. Every time I see a hare I think of Dad, and of Jesus my friend, holding us both.
Peace be with you friends <><
Caroline :)
https://youtu.be/zmt5VNnrJIM I stand amazed. Celtic Worship ft. Steph Macleod
https://youtu.be/YfUNU-sPwbQ Jesus Paid it All. Celtic Worship ft. Steph Macleod
https://youtu.be/__NkfAkOrCU O Perfect Father. Celtic Worship ft. Steph Macleod
Do check out Celtic Worship, some absolutely stunning worship songs!
https://celticworship.co.uk Celtic Worship
Virtual Celtic Morning Prayers at 9am on Friday morning
"The Ascension of Jesus Christ" Gary Blunt, artist
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