Dear Family of St John’s
Last Saturday, while getting a coffee takeaway for a mini-roadtrip, I heard a remake of a song from my youth. I loved Guns ‘n Roses and this different version of Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door did NOT appeal to me! As soon as we got in the car, I had to play the original to listen to the proper version.
I was certain my husband would react in the same way I did. But he didn’t, he merely said ‘It’s not bad, just different’.
I had a similar situation on Sunday afternoon attending Songs of Praise at the Cathedral. I loved the setting of The Lord is my Shepherd that was sung (the same as the theme tune to The Vicar of Dibley – another favourite of mine). But, my mom who was with me preferred the original tune that she was accustomed to.
We can all become a little stuck in our ways, can’t we? We like what we like. And, if we’re used to something being done a certain way, we’re not easily convinced that a different version is acceptable. I have a particular spot that I like to sit in on our couch at home. Good luck to either of my sons if they try to take my spot! That’s where I sit.
I’ve been thinking about the process of accepting change quite a lot these last few weeks. I’m sure you’ve all noticed the patchwork of paint colours in the church. Trying to choose the right colour must rank up there with one of the most stressful tasks.
We’ve all grown used to the current colour scheme and can’t imagine something different. We all have our personal preferences. And the church, specifically, is a space that we connect to emotionally, which makes the decision more difficult.
But, does anyone remember that the wall behind the cross in the sanctuary used to be blue? And there used to be blue mosaic tiles in the sanctuary space as well, I’m told. Before the carpeting there were tiles throughout the church – winter mornings would have been very chilly!
Our decision isn’t made any easier by the lightning. The same colour paint looks ‘grey-blue’ on one wall, ‘mushroom soup’ on another, and ‘braai mushroom’ on yet another wall! (These are not the official paint names, but are more descriptive, I think, than Artist’s Canvas or Winter Savanna) The lighting changes everything.
But, not all change is bad. You’ve heard the saying, ‘a change is as good as a holiday’?
The Bible shows us again and again that God calls us into change – not for the sake of change itself, but to transform us more into His likeness. In Jeremiah 18, God reminds us that “like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel” (Jeremiah 18:6). That means He shapes, reshapes, and sometimes remoulds us in ways we may not expect.
You may have heard Revd Angela Brown’s sermon last Sunday on this text, entitled ‘In God’s Hands’. She painted a beautiful image of the work of the potter and our role as the clay. If you missed it, please consider watching it online (YouTube link added below)
When we accept the changes God brings, we allow Him to stretch us, grow us, and prepare us for something new. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” What a promise of fresh beginnings!
So perhaps this is a good time to pause and ask: Where might God be leading me to change?
Is He calling me to let go of a habit, to forgive someone, to serve in a new way, or simply to trust Him more deeply? If we hold too tightly to the “old version” of things, we might miss the beautiful, fresh, and unexpected thing God is waiting to do in us and through us.
Let us embrace the hand of the Potter, trusting that His changes are always for our good and His glory. He may just have something wonderful, fresh, and new in store for you!
Would you pray with me?
Gracious God, You are the Potter, and we are the clay. Shape us according to Your will. Help us to welcome the changes You bring into our lives with open hearts and willing spirits. Where we are stuck in our ways, loosen our grip. Where we resist, soften us. And where You are creating something new, give us the courage to step into it with faith. Thank You for the promise that in Christ, the old has gone and the new has come. Amen.
With love, your friend and rector,
Claire