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So Here's The Thing...

Blogging on life and faith and all bits in between

Of Dandelions, Ferraris, God and the Universe – a Sermon in the Making. 

21/5/2016

1 Comment

 
Picture
Yesterday I was taken to thinking about the things around me and most recently this was captured in the image of the dandelion seed. I was thinking about this whilst walking by the canal listening to a piece of music that made me cry but at the same time filled me inside with a strange sense of warmth. I'm not sure what the other people thought of me but I'm fifty now so I don't care. Anyhow back to the dandelions.
 
Noah loves to blow them. Who doesn't love to blow the seeds of dandelions?
 
And so as I walk along I find I am lost in wonder – by a dandelion seed. How amazing are they?
 
Then I'm left struggling to believe there isn't a God. I know for some people the reverse is true, but this is my struggle.
 
I feel it would be so much simpler in my mind if there wasn't sometimes. No God. Nothing to answer. Nothing to solve. I would then be left with a life simply made of riddles. Riddles to solve for my amusement but not to answer out of accountability. Stewardship would be a human construct not a divine mandate. It would be easier to justify my luxurious lifestyle; I can eat McDonalds whenever I like unlike the majority of the world who have to exist on less than $2 a day.
 
But then I look at the dandelion seed and think. No. You're joking me. And I look at it again. Noah picks another one and blows it and I look at one of those tiny seeds floating gracefully through the air as its carried gently by the breeze.
 
And so to Ferrari
 
I don't know much about Ferrari's except for the fact they should be red, and they are fast and they sound utterly exhilarating when you rev the engine. I would love to rev the engine of a Ferrari but that's another story. Anyhow outside of wanting to kiss the Ferrari which I appreciate is, without wishing to sound sexist, probably a male exclusive desire I have an equally difficult challenge to resolve.
 
In some ways I wish I'd not seen the Ferrari as we walked to the park recently because then my life would have been easier. Firstly, I wouldn't have had the problem of covetousness to confess. Secondly, I wouldn't have been led so deeply into the world of comparison.
 
My problem is this. The little I do know about Ferraris understands they are all built in the same factory in Italy. By craftsman who have been highly trained for the job. And what a job - building Ferraris. Anyhow the point is someone, somewhere has built them.
 
And then I think about the dandelion.
 
Exactly.
 
Now you can see my point and problem.
 
And which is the most beautiful. Is it even a close call?
 
So I'm walking down by the canal listening to the music which is filling my eyes with tears and along with the dandelion and the red Ferrari I start to think about the universe which is so big - really is so, so big. So my mind is taken with the dandelion seed which is so small and the universe which is so big and the song which is so deep and I think to myself: there's a sermon in there somewhere which I'm looking forward to crafting today so as to share it tomorrow and I'd love it if you could come along and enjoy it with us. But for now I think I need a coffee which are made of beans. No. No. Let's just stick with dandelions, Ferraris, God and the universe that's enough for one sermon. 

1 Comment
Caley
22/5/2016 04:53:18 am

It is so good to read wot a Christian has written wen I can't sleep at nite

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    ​Stephen has been a Pastor for over 30 years - 20 of them serving the same Church in Robin Hoods own city of Nottingham

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  • About
  • Blogging on life and faith
  • Podcast
  • Hackney Art
  • Reviews
  • Contact