Saturday 23 June 2012

The Kingdom of God.

I have just read this on another blog and it resonated with me : "he said that when one establishes the Kingdom of God (order, tidiness, serenity) in one's external surroundings, other things fall into place." This week has been an attempt to do just that. I've been to Mning Prayer each morning, attended a Team devolpment day for the clergy I shall be working with, also team council, I've shopped, spent a day with my sister and in between I've painted the bathroom and continued to unpack and organise. I've reached the point where the main job left to do is try and find a system of storage and filing for resources and paperwork in the study. And there I've come to a stand still. Just thinking about it sends me of to do soemthing else rather than tackle the problem. yet having read the above I know it's a task that has to be faced and dealt with before I go on retreat on Wednesday. In fact as I've to go and collect K's step mother and friend from Lncashire on Tuesday I've no choice but to face it by Monday evening. SO what am I do blogging about it you may well ask. Earlier this week the readings at morning prayer were all about he weak things being used by God. At the momnet I'm so grateful both that God does use the weak and that He reminded me of it this week. Perhaps not surprising but with the ordination week away I am feeling very weak and inadequate for the task ahead. Its been a dream for so long, something I've been working towards for 8 years and now at last its in touching distance and I'm back questioning what God is doing. yet at the same time my heart is singing an I'm so looking forward to it. Does any of that make sense? I may well not post again before the day but I shall be reflecting in my journal instead and will be back to blog the fruits of the retreat after next Sunday. In the mean time I shall work at bringing the kingdom of God into my study!

5 comments:

  1. In my ministry I glimpse the K of G not in order, tidiness and serenity, but in the mess of daily life and its joys and sorrows. God bless this mess. I see the K of G in the way others inspiringly respond to the mess. My desk will be tidy when I am dead. Having lived in 57, I wish you well. We enjoyed Wirksworth and I hope you will too. Regards to David, Keith and co. Stanley

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  2. Thanks for the encouragement Stanley, hopefully I too will see the Kingdom of God in the mess of daily life. I also know that I need to start out with some system in the study if I'm going to achieve some semblence of order that will enable me to respond to others 'mess'.Just struggling to achieve it at the moment.
    BTW if you were responsible for the wonderful set of book shelves- thanks :)

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  3. No I wasn't. That was Simon Lumby, my predecessor. You will meet him, I expect. He is often in Wirksworth.

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  4. As someone constantly beating back the mess of small children in my house I can only dream of the Kingdom of God manifesting as tidiness and order! I think I find it hard to see God in disorder and mess but I suspect He's teaching me something through it.
    Praying for you as the days go by leading to your ordination. Hx

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  5. Hi Jante, Thank you for the quote from my blog http://dreamingbeneaththespires.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/chronos-and-kairos-mysterious-right.html.
    I too struggle with order and tidiness--which is why I was given that advice. But I now find it's all a unity--I pray better when I am physically fit, and when my surroundings manifest peace, not disorder. For truly God is not a God of disorder but of peace. (1 Cor 14:33).

    Blessings and peace to you as you embark on the next phase of your ministry. May it be one of great fruitfulness and happiness!!

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