Our God Is Many Things

Just back from a weekend away with Ruchill Church where I used to work. It's the first time I've led a whole weekend away for another congregation and though it was a lot of work, it went well and I was really blessed by the experience. We went to the Atholl Centre in Pitlochry and enjoyed a couple of days of worship and banter and catching up; warm fellowship despite the blizzards outside!

We were looking at the theme "God is Closer Than You Think" picking up on the John Ortberg book of the same name.

On the Friday evening I ripped off an idea I'd read in a book by Adrian Plass and got them to write a poem (though they didn't know that's what they were doing!). I asked them to complete this sentence anonymously and as honestly as they could.. "At this moment, for me, God is......"
I then arranged their responses in an order which sounded poetic and drew out how differently people were experiencing God in that moment.

Here is the result - it's called "Our God Is Many Things". Please forgive the gendered language if it annoys you.

OUR GOD IS MANY THINGS

Our God is many things…..
He is leading me, keeping me going, shaping me.
He is planning, working and answering.
He’s getting closer to me and my heart.
He’s distant in my life, and not an active participant.
He’s goading me.

Our God is many things…..
He’s huge; he’s good.
He’s waiting.
He’s in everything.
He’s not immediate.
He’s difficult to talk to.
He’s hard to understand.

Our God is many things….
He’s beginning to get closer.
He’s wanting me to be closer and deeper.
He’s near, but I need to stop more and enjoy his presence.
He’s a gracious friend on whose friendship I presume too much.
He’s someone I know I should experience, but life takes over and I’m not motivated enough to love.

Our God is many things….
He’s constant, despite my feelings.
He’s wanting me to draw near to him.
He’s what I most want.
He’s available, but I don’t seem to be interested.
He’s squeezed in at the end of the day;
there, but not the focus.

Our God is many things….
He’s getting closer by the minute.
He’s a great God who has done wonderful things.
He’s unfathomable.
He’s not a priority.

He’s very close to me.
He’s the furthest he’s ever been.

Our God is Many Things.

I'll reflect on what that reveals in my next post

Creed

Every now and again I visit a wonderful place down near Perth called "The Bield". "Bield" is an old Scottish word with resonances of shelter, rest and refuge and it's a great place to go when you need a dirty weekend away with God.

http://www.bieldatblackruthven.org.uk/The%20Bield%20at%20Blackruthven/Welcome.html

As part of the programme, there's the option of attending devotions in the wee chapel, led by the staff, and I always seem to come away with something rich from those times. In the middle of another busy week (are there ever any quiet ones?!) I simply want to post a poem I heard there which has stayed with me ever since. It's by Adrian Plass and it's called 'Creed'.

CREED

I cannot say my creed in words.
How should I spell despair, excitement, joy and grief,
amazement, anger, certainty and unbelief?
What was the grammar of those sleepless nights?
Who the subject? What the object
of a friend who will not come,or does not come?
And then creates his own eccentric special dawn:
a blinding light that does not blind.

Why do I find you in the secret wordless places
where I hide from your eternal light?
I hate you.
I love you.
I miss you.
I wish that you would go,
and yet I know that long ago
you made a fairytale for me:
About the day that you would take your sword
and battle through the thicket of the things I have become.
You’ll kiss to life my sleeping beauty,
waiting for her prince to come.
Then I will wake,
and look into your eyes,
and understand.

And for the first time, I will not be dumb.
And I shall say my creed in words.


Two things I love about that. God's determination to "battle through the thicket of the things I have become", and the prospect of finally, one day, finding the right words.

TODAY'S GLOWING EMBERS OF TRUTH: Know thyself? If I knew myself I'd probably run away....