From the Pastor's Pen

Dear friends,

I was looking at this picture today and my eye was drawn to the stones on the beach.  There are so many stones on this beach in Cornwall.  It occurred to me how alike they all are and how, at the same time, they are each unique and different.  It reminded me of the apples game I sometimes have played with groups.  I give everyone an apple and ask them to look at it carefully.  I then ask the members of the group to compare themselves to the apple and to use the apple to describe themselves.  Then I put all of the apples back in a bowl and set them aside.  Later in the day I will put the apples all out on the table and ask each person there to find “their apple.”  Everyone always is able to do so.  I have never had anyone say, “I can’t find mine!”

I wonder if God sometimes looks at this sea of humanity and sees a beach full of stones or a huge bushel of apples.  Does God say, “There are so many of them.  They all look alike!”  I don’t think so.  I think God sees each of us uniquely with gifts and talents, quirks and kinks, troubles and joys.  This is the way parents see their children and the scriptures tell us God remembers us as a mother remembers her child.

Can a woman forget her nursing child,
    or show no compassion for the child of her womb?
Even these may forget,
    yet I will not forget you.
See, I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands  (Is. 49:15 – 16a)

Take heart in the constancy of our God.  We are so beloved, so uniquely special, our names are written in God’s hands.

Peace,

Pr. Sally