Rev Will Lane writes. On Tuesday 23rd August, we had a lovely visit to the Bishops Palace in Wells, during which the palace Chaplain treated us to a prayer walk around the grounds, I was drawn to the following piece which resonates with much of we we reflected upon during the prayer walk. Centre for Action and Contemplation teacher, Brian McLaren, writes this:
“The spirit leads us towards the bottom, to the place of humility, to the position and posture of service, that’s where the spirit, like water flows.”
If you listen to the spirit, here is what will happen to you. You’ll be at a party and you’ll notice on one side of the room all the beautiful people laughing and having fun together. In a far corner, you’ll notice a person who is alone, feeling awkward, not knowing anyone. The spirit will draw you to the person in need. You may become the bridge that connects the outsider to the insiders and in that connexion both will be better off. You will realise that someone is angry at you or resentful towards you or worked behind your back to do you harm. Everything in you will want you to write them off or get them back. But the spirit will draw you towards them in humility. You will see a person, or a group being vilified or scapegoated. Everyone is blaming them, shaming them, gossiping about them, feeling superior to them, venting their anxieties on them. But the spirit will draw you to differ courageously and graciously, you will risk your reputation in defending the person or people being scapegoated and, in that risk, both you and they will know that God’s spirit is alive and at work in your midst. If you listen to the spirit, you’ll be drawn towards an opportunity to serve. When you let the spirit guide you it will be a source of great joy one of the richest blessings of your life.”
If you would like to visit the Bishops Palace and Gardens you can find out whats on Here.