Bury St Edmunds is a town which I have rarely visited over the years, which does feel odd considering I have lived in Suffolk for so long. Often, I have been told what a lovely place it is, what good shops there are there, and of course how amazing the cathedral is and the Abbey gardens. Having worked as an Administrator in a Care Home previously one of the most favoured destinations for a trip out was the Abbey gardens; the residents would always be very keen to sign up for a trip to visit the gardens with the backdrop of the cathedral.
So, when I was needed to travel to Bury St Edmunds on a regular basis recently, I looked forward to a chance to walk around the shops and get to know the town centre a little better. On a couple of occasions, I sat and ate my sandwiches in the Abbey gardens, and they were very colourful with an assortment of flowers, the lawns were kept trimmed, in the sunshine it was so delightful to see children and families enjoying themselves, and even a bridal party posing for their wedding photographs after their ceremony.
One morning as I was walking towards the office I looked up and saw the cathedral towering over the town and it made me think of the many thousands of people over the years who came to worship God in that same location. Also, of the Abbey which was there previously and the vast nature of the building which can only be guessed at by the size of the ruins. Over the years men, women, children will have directed their footsteps towards the centre of the town coming to meet with God, bringing with them all the baggage of their lives, their problems, joys and sorrows and like me their eyes will have been drawn to the tower pointing heavenwards.
I found my gaze looking up towards the tower of the cathedral and thinking of the generations who will have looked to that place of worship in the past, and I got to thinking about the way that the tower encouraged my eyes to look upwards away from my problems and anxieties and towards God. And it made me think about how God wants us to direct our thoughts and prayers to him and to constantly be searching out his presence.
It reminded me of words written to the church in Philippi ‘Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praise-worthy – think about such things.’ It is so easy for us to focus on negative thoughts, and experiences but God wants us to turn our thinking and our hearts to Him and to rejoice in all that is good, pure and lovely.
A prayer
Lord God you know how hard it is for me to see the best in a situation, you know how I can feel overwhelmed by the worries that press in on me, help me to search for the good, lovely, pure and admirable that I encounter in life today and so to change my thinking patterns that I may keep my focus on you through all my days.
Amen