Thought for the day – Wednesday 1st July 2020
A REFLECTION INSPIRED BY THE PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT’S ADDRESSES TO METHODIST CONFERENCE 2020
I am currently watching online some of the Methodist Conference and have been inspired greatly by both the President and Vice President’s Addresses.
In the Rev’d Teal’s Address (President of Conference) he draws on the work of Walter Brueggemann, specifically a book called “The Psalms, The Life of Faith”. In this book Walter Brueggemann highlights times of Orientation, Disorientation and Re-Orientation.
When life is going well, we experience times of Orientation; when we feel that life has taken a surprising unexpected and challenging turn this is aptly described by Walter Brueggemann as a Time of Disorientation. When we come through times of disorientation it is important for us to realise, we will need a time of Re-Orientation.
Many of the psalms can be placed in the above categories, some in all three!
For times of Stability (Orientation), Psalm 104 is a good example
Likewise, for times of Disorientation, Psalm 88 is recommended.
For the period of re-emergence from a time of Disorientation into a time of Re-orientation, Psalm 40 is recommended. (Below are verses 1 -3 from the NRSV)
“I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the desolate pit, out of the miry bog and set my feet upon a rock making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God.”
As we and the Church continue to re-emerge out of a time of disorientation, it strikes me that a number of questions are very important:
- How have we and how can we articulate that God is with us, even when the fabric of life seems to be pulled from under our feet?
- How can we help each other to emerge from disorientation to re-orientation?
- What news ways of being Church will we need to develop in order to sing a new song?
A Prayer.
All powerful All loving God we give you thanks for the utter and complete stability of your nature.
We thank you that this stability is not dependent upon our feelings and emotions.
We thank you that the psalms remind us that even in times of “sinking Sands” you are with us.
May we emerge from these days of disorientation into clearer vision of your glory.
Re-orientate our hearts minds and souls to follow Christ and seek to build the kingdom in ever new and innovative ways.
Amen.