Day 55 - God of Wonders

I will meditate on your wonderful works. (Ps 145)

It is Mindfulness Monday again! Shaun Lambert writes, “There are two main dimensions to mindfulness, mindfulness for health and mindfulness of God. Both should engage Christians”. Mindfulness is also a pathway that can help us rediscover wonder - in the world around us, in nature, in simple pleasures. I am reminded of the poem “Leisure” by W H Davies:

What is this life if, full of care,

We have no time to stand and stare.

No time to stand beneath the boughs

And stare as long as sheep or cows.

No time to see, when woods we pass,

Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.

No time to see, in broad daylight,

Streams full of stars, like skies at night.

No time to turn at Beauty's glance,

And watch her feet, how they can dance.

No time to wait till her mouth can

Enrich that smile her eyes began.

A poor life this if, full of care,

We have no time to stand and stare.

Because of the challenges of surviving the pandemic and the resulting changes to life, mindfulness has become ever more important for me. Walking and reading have always been important to me but in recent times I have gone deeper and further and discovered that there is yet more treasure to be found in seeking God in moments of solitude, walking in nature and in the joys of meditation and quiet contemplation. It has been a blessing to share with one or two friends who are on a similar journey.

In a previous reflection at the start of the lockdown in 2020 I wrote about the delights of bird song saying: “I once read that in a survey the sound that people said they would miss more than anything else, if they lost their hearing, would be bird song. One of the interesting observations that has come out of the shutting down of our normal activity and work … is that people say they can hear birdsong again.”

I continue to be delighted by bird song and often take a moment to open the window and just stand for a while to listen to a Blackbird or Song Thrush singing in the early evening. Given a little time and patience we can learn to recognise different singers.

If we take a few moments at some point in the day to be still, look and listen we have a golden opportunity to come in to God’s presence, hear His voice and meditate on His word. Why not take 5 minutes now to just “stand and stare” as W H Davies wrote and focus on the sights and sounds happening all around and in the stillness rediscover wonder. These moments usually lead naturally to praise and worship.

A Prayer:

Father, thank you for welcoming us into your presence where we can find peace, security, healing and forgiveness. We pray that you would speak in the quietness and help us to hear your voice. Thank you for beauty and wonder still to be found and thank you for your love and the hope we have in Jesus, Our Saviour, Amen.

Ruth Leeming