Sometimes that 'good idea' you had seems very 'not good'. This week, I am trying to find hints and glimpses of 'peace' or 'shalom' in the scripture readings offered by the Northumbria Community...
Psalm 139:5
Song of Songs 8:5a
Mark 1:35
With such minuscule readings, with verses (or even half verses) taken totally out of context, the task of finding that for which I seek becomes very difficult and indeed, very contrived. Read out of context, these verses can seem quite menacing (Psalm 139:5) or bewildering (Song of Songs 8:5a). So, I've had to look them up and find a bit of a context in which to do my 'seeking hints of peace.' Unsurprisingly, the possibly sexually explicit, and at least highly sensual, Song of Songs is not the place!!! So I was torn between the psalm, which is well-loved and often used as a source of comfort, and the gospel, which is complex. In the end I opted for the gospel, with the one verse from above in red:
As soon as they left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Now Simon's mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once.
He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them. That evening, at sunset, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons. And the whole city was gathered around the door. And he cured many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him. In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed. And Simon and his companions hunted for him. When they found him, they said to him, "Everyone is searching for you." He answered, "Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do." And he went throughout Galilee, proclaiming the message in their synagogues and casting out demons. (Mark 1: 29 - 39 NRSV)
The gospel of Mark is especially 'zap pow' all action, Jesus racing around hither, thither and yon, always teaching, always healing, always doing... and this little extract from a crazily busy chapter illustrates that. Poor Jesus, even his attempt to get a tiny bit of space, a little bit of time to pray, is thwarted as everyone hunts for him - serious intent there methinks! If even Jesus needed space for himself, time to 'be', to collect his thoughts, to commune with God, how much more so do we?
As I wrote yesterday, peace is not 'silence' or 'warm fuzzy feelings' or even 'escape from the hurly burly' yet within any of these perhaps we catch a glimpse of what it is. Where or what for me - for you - is the equivalent of "while it is still dark, getting up and going to a solitary place..."? Where or what are then moments where peace pierces out busyness?
Shopping malls with twinkly lights and canned carols
Internet sites with 'buy now offers' and email inboxes 'ping'
Bus queues, traffic jams, trains delayed
Deadlines at work, cards to post, bills to pay
Uncertainty ahead and pressures galore...
Come with me to a quiet place,
just for a moment,
just for a moment...
Be still,
Rest
Receive
I AM the God whose hand is on you to shield you [Psalm 139:5]
I AM the God upon whom you can lean [S of S 8:5a]
I AM the God of the quiet place [Mark 1:35]
(Yes, I AM the God of the busy place too
but for now,
for a moment,
come away and pray...)
God of Peace, grant us peace. Amen.
