Thought for the Day -Monday 12 October

Thought for the Day – Monday 12th October ‘By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion. There on the poplars we hung our harps, for there our captors asked us for songs, our tormentors demanded songs of joy; they said, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” How can we sing the songs of the Lord while in a foreign land?’ (Psalm 137: 1-4) Isn’t it strange how some days you are just drawn to particular verses of the Bible, maybe it is the mood we are in or perhaps we are seeking answers – who knows? For me today for some reason I was drawn to these verses of the Psalmist. These are indeed strange days now Covid-19 is among us and we are once more under tighter restrictions. Our worship services are still cancelled and all the things we would normally be doing to show that we care for each other are now often considered too risky and so it is all too easy to feel a little dejected – perhaps even useless. I know while I am still busy enough each day doing ‘ministry’ and ‘ministry things’ I do feel that I would prefer to busy doing all the things of ministry I feel I was called to do – namely, reaching out physically, spiritually and emotionally to all of you and to all those I am called to serve in the two parishes! So, naturally, at times I do feel a little dejected and frustrated, as I am sure some of you do not being able to do all you would wish to do! Maybe that’s why I was drawn to these verses today! I find myself asking as the Psalmist did - how can we possibly sing the songs of the Lord in this new and strange land in which we now live? When God’s people were in exile what did they do? Well, they sat down and wept and cried out to God to show them how to still be God’s people in a foreign land. Is that what we must do? Being in this ‘new normal’, living with Covid-19 without all that is familiar to us being available to us as we would wish feels like we are in a foreign land. So, perhaps we do just need to sit down and take time to weep for a while or at least take time to acknowledge the loss we feel inside at losing all the familiar patterns of life. Yet, no matter how we feel in our loss, let us never forget that God’s purpose for our lives, God’s call on our lives has not diminished in any way and the gospel imperative to love one another has certainly not diminished either. Who knows, living in this ‘strange land’ of Covid-19 might mean we could discover new ways of being and of being church. So maybe we should take that time to sit and weep and then having done so let go of the past and follow God’s lead into our ‘new normal’ where I am sure we will find new songs to sing to him and new patterns to our lives where we will still be able to fulfil that gospel imperative to love one another. Keep safe, keep well and keep close to God and soon I am sure we will all be singing those new songs to him. Prayer Loving Lord, We do feel in a strange foreign land at this time, adrift from all we knew. Lord, help us to remember you said ‘Be still and know that I am Lord’ and help us to be still, to sit in your presence and listen for your reassuring voice and then let you confidently guide us into the future. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.