Glimpsing God

Glimpsing God
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ultimate fulfilment.
in suffering
in silence
Glimpsing God
conversation two
Glimpsing God
conversation three
in creation
in people
in providence
in loving
in sacred places
in suffering
in silence
in creation
in people
in providence
in loving
in sacred places
in suffering
in silence
Glimpsing God
conversation four
in creation
in people
in providence
in loving
in sacred places
in suffering
in silence
Glimpsing God
conversation six
in creation
in people
in providence
in loving
in sacred places
in providence
Glimpsing God
conversation one
in creation
in people
in providence
in loving
in sacred places
in suffering
in silence
in people
The idea that in and through the lives of other
human persons, God may be revealed, is deeply
rooted in the Judeo-Christian tradition. The
classical prophets of the Old Testament, for
example, were though to speak on behalf of
God, and the whole of the New Testament bears
witness to God taking flesh in the person of
Jesus Christ.
Even today, in the domestic dealings of
individuals and communities, it is widely
recognised that God still speaks. The stories
told by believers abou their important spiritual
moments often involve the actions or attitudes of
significant others. Through their assurance and
witness, faith is nurtured and replenished.
It is often in hindsight that we make sense of
our journey through life. We notice connections
and patterns that seem to provide insight into
hitherto mysterious happenings. Yet it is also
possible, even in the moment, to glimpse the
activity of God in the way events unfold. Even
though we ‘see through a glass darkly’ we are, in
fact, seeing – rather than blundering rudderless
through the world.
Many believers today speak of providential
circumstances, which seem less to be driven by
accident, than by design and intention – moments
of synchronicity and startling co-incidence. To
people of faith, these consolations are invaluable
sources of encouragement and hope, particularly
when the way ahead is hidden from view.
in loving
Glimpsing God
St. John in his Gospel informs us that God is
love and that ‘anyone who loves, knows God
and God lives in them’. Should this be the case,
it would seem likely that in the experience of
loving – in its many forms – any of us might
recognise transcendence. However, while many
people today would say that love is what makes
life worth living, they struggle to see beyond it;
to make the connection; to identify its ultimate
source.
Nevertheless, reflecting on the often paradoxical
nature of human loving has been, and remains,
a doorway to the Divine. In it we see our own
existentia longings for worth and meaning as
well as our desire for personal connection and
conversation five
in suffering
in creation
in people
in providence
in loving
in sacred places
in suffering
in silence
Glimpsing God
The great mystery of suffering is a the heart of
the human condition and the perennial challenge
is to find meaning and significance in the face of
this reality. Central to the faith of Christians is
the passion and death of Jesus where the drama
of sin and suffering is played out on behalf of all
humankind. During our own times of distress
or when witnessing the suffering of others,
especially those we love, it may seem merely a
in creation
in people
in providence
in loving
in sacred places
in suffering
in silence
pious hope that anything good could be revealed
– but strangely, this is sometimes the case.
in creation
If you ask people where they most easily connect
with the spiritual dimension to their lives, they
often reply – outside, in the natural world.
Whether this means our popping out into the
garden for a breath of air, or striking out for
the hills in search of wilderness, the motivation
seems the same – to get in touch with our
better selves in the freedom, the beauty and the
grandeur of creation.
While almost everyone will appreciate this basic
human need, people o faith go one step further.
In these moments they catch a glimpse of the
Divine presence, recognising both an essential
one-ness in the startling complexity and, in its
somewhat unnecessary beauty, the indelible
signature of God.
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In Su fering.indd 1
In moments of great anguish and uncertainty
something of the best in people can become
evident. Words o faith and courage during these
dark episodes can be transformational, both for
the speaker and the listener.
in sacred places
The physical environment in which we find
ourselves can have a profound effect on our
spiritua lives. Every faith tradition recognises
certain locations which have become special, and
therefore sacred, to believers. These are often
called ‘thin places’, where the barrier between
the physical world and the spiritual seems to
have been lessened. They may mark a particular
moment of Divine encounter or just a setting
where generations of people have come to pray
and offer worship.
But even as individuals, we often discover our
own favourite place where we go to be still.
Somewhere in which we find it easier to open our
are part of the spiritua landscape of our world.
hearts and minds to the transcendent. These too
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Glimpsing God
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The title Glimpsing God emerges from the
observation that there is a dimension to our
experience of the everyday, which suggests there
is more to life than meets the eye. Within particular
moments of encounter, which both surprise and
encourage us, we recognise transcendence and
catch a glimpse of the Divine.
Glimpsing God is the first of a series of resource
packs designed to invite personal reflection and
promote spiritual conversation in a variety of
settings.
Forthcoming packs and Editions in the series will
include Aloneness, Journeying Spiritually with
Children and Soul Talk.
Glimpsing God is available now for £10+p&p from
www.shorelineconversations.com
Published by The Shoreline Consultancy
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Edited by Lynne Ling
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Design by 25 Educational
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Glimpsing God
Welcome to our first issue of Editions, created to complement the conversation
packs we will be producing at regular intervals over the next few years.
Our writers help us to reflect on different aspects of living a spiritual life, one
where God is perhaps more often seen fleetingly than constantly at our side and
in our consciousness.
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Jan Sutch Pickard, writer and storyteller, lives on the remote Ross of Mull
near Iona. She tells about practical ways in which she tries to put into
practice the words of George Fox, the founder of the Society of Friends,
‘walk cheerfully over the world, answering that of God in everyone’ and
the joy of glimpsing God in the humanity, hospitality, humility and humour
of her neighbours.
y Ann Lewin is a published writer of prayers and reflective poetry, and also
a leader of retreats and quiet days. She writes for us about the frustration,
as a bird watcher, of staying in a retreat centre for ten days without seeing
the kingfisher known to frequent the garden, yet how it led her to see and
understand similarities with her experience of God.
i Nicky Redsell is a talented musician and spiritual direction course tutor.
She finds music an indispensable part of her spiritual life, stilling or
rousing her, comforting or challenging, expressing feelings too difficult to
put into words. She shares her personal playlist favourites with us.
a Ruth Harvey, a member of the Shoreline team, is a member of the Iona
community, a Church of Scotland minister and Quaker. We invited her
to tell her story of growing up on Iona when her father was Warden – a
fascinating memoir of moving to Iona from inner city Glasgow as a young
child and living with an ever-changing household of guests. Her story will
continue in future Editions.
We trust that these ‘glimpses’ into the spiritual stories of our contributors will
resonate with your own. We would love to hear from you and will share your
thoughts and comments on our website.
We would particularly like to build up a playlist of favourite pieces of music –
send them to info@shorelineconversations.com
Editor
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In praise of…
cheerfulness
Jan Sutch Pickard celebrates the everyday life of her small island commu nity
‘Walk cheerfully over the world,
answering that of God in everyone.’
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Shoreline Conversations

The cheerful unrepentant weeds
In the beginning
God saw the cheerful unrepentant weeds:
thistles and dandelions –
and God saw that they were good.
They were fruitful and multiplied.
They bloomed on poor soil and in the barren wilderness;
they brought colour into a solemn world.
it’s in the humanity,
hospitality, humility,
humour of my neighbours
that I glimpse the
nature of God.
God considers them as well as the lilies –
they don’t toil or spin either,
but they breed like rabbits
and spread like wildfire.
Never anxious about tomorrow,
today they reclaim the wasteland,
break through concrete, transform bomb-sites.
They are a treasure hidden in a field.
Common as muck, but clothed in purple and gold,
they proclaim the presence of their creator.
God, open-handed sower of grace,
sees that thistles, flourishing on the field’s edge,
won’t give stray seeds a chance;
aware of the sparrow’s fall,
knows how the smallest seed of all
grows until it can shelter the birds of the air.
God watches the thistledown,
travelling light, cast adrift on the currents of the air,
finding somewhere to make a fresh start.
God values the dandelions as a harvest:
we cannot live by bread alone,
our souls hunger for beauty and meaning –
we are nourished by signs of the Kingdom.
God, knowing the secret of life and death,
created green shoots that spring up after rain,
flowers that follow the sun,
fruits that trust the winds of heaven,
and seeds that will only grow
if they fall in the earth and die.
These weeds – as down-to-earth as you or I –
are parables of the wisdom and work of God.
Text based on Genesis 1:11-13; Matthew 6:28-30;
Matthew 13:3b-9, 31-32, 44; John 12:24.
Poem from Dandelions and Thistles, Biblical
meditations from the Iona Community: Wild
Goose Publications ISBN 1-901557-14-6
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“Moments of illumination are
not dependent on what we do,
but on how open we are to what
God gives us: how much we really
desire to know Christ and the
power of his resurrection.”
Poem from Watching for the Kingfisher:
Poems and Prayers by Ann Lewin:
Canterbury Press Norwich (2009)
ISBN: 9781853119897
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Heart’s
Desire
Ann Lewin draws lessons from the time she, the birdwatcher,
failed to see the kingfisher when others did
Prayer is like watching for the
Kingfisher.
All you can do is
Be where he is likely to appear, and
Wait.
Often, nothing much happens;
There is space, silence and
Expectancy.
No visible sign, only the
Knowledge that he’s been there
And may come again.
Seeing or not seeing cease to matter,
You have been prepared.
But when you’ve almost stopped
Expecting it, a flash of brightness
Gives encouragement.
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Still
Spaces
Nicky Redsell shares her love of music and the songs
that lift her spirits or bring a sense of calm
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For many of us, there are times
when musical experiences resonate
with something deep within our
spirits. There is a sense of encounter
with something mystical or spiritual.
A ‘thin place’, if you like.
Further thoughts:
The act of listening to or playing music can be a
prayerful activity in itself. This is something that you
might want to explore further. Below is a list of music
that I have used, which will probably reveal more
about me than anything else!
Orchestral music:
‘The Lark Ascending’ – Vaughan Williams (Many
people’s favourite piece of orchestral music)
‘Au Clair de la Lune’ – Debussy
Double ‘Cello Concerto – Elgar
Symphony No 8 – Bruckner (This is one of my
favourite orchestral works. I love to reflect on the
movement between strength and delicacy and the
relationship between the divine and humanity)
‘Pavane pour une enfante defunte’ – Ravel (I find
that the strong melodic line in this piece gives voice
to unspoken emotions)
Piano music: Craig Armstrong; Ludovico Einaudi
Also: Taizé music; folk melodies
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Being a Child of God in
COMMUNITY
Ruth Harvey remembers her formative years on Iona
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The wildness of the barn and the beach,
the feral foraging along the seashore
became our playground.
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Rabindranath Tagore
12 Shoreline Conversations
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© The Shoreline Consultancy 2015