Last week I wrote about my trip to London for a fateful football game.
Having been away just over 24 hours, I was dismayed to return home to find wood and dirt scattered all over the road.
On closer inspection it became obvious that our “friendly” badger had made yet another appearance. The vegetable beds had thankfully remained untouched, but there was a large burrow underneath our house – well the sign for our house. Behind the sign was a dead tree stump, clearly a great source of grubs and insects.
We often think that dead wood needs removing, but this shows us that dead wood can be put to good use. There is also a beautiful wild rose growing out of the tree stump. Something dead may still have potential for life.
In our churches there are, of course, times for pruning and removing dead wood to allow new growth, but there are also times when repurposing may be more appropriate. How can we best use our premises? How can we be more relevant in our worship? What beautiful things can come out of what appears to no longer be growing?
I was surprised at what the badger had done. Are we surprised at what God can do with us, and with our churches?
Prayer: Almighty God, help us never to be surprised at what you can do with us. We may think we are of no use, but you have different ideas. We may think we are “dead wood”, but you see us as beautiful potential. Help us to recognise the time for pruning and the time for planting. Help us to see the potential that is there waiting to be found. AMEN