An
Inkling
In
February of 1987 Sarah and I visited Wichita Falls, Texas, to be considered for
a pastoral post. North Texas is not
exactly lush any time of year, but in February it is particularly bleak. As we left town and reviewed our experience
we each wondered aloud what it might be like to live in such an austere place
(actually I think word we used was “ugly”).
I
was discussing this soon after with one of my mentors, and he said, “You know,
God spreads his beauty everywhere. There
are just some places where you have to slow down and get up close to see
it.” Then he went on to describe his own
experiences in north Texas, relishing tiny flowers that can be seen only by
stooping down, noting how life can take root even in the harshest settings, observing
the endless contour and texture variations of the topography, etc.
I
thought of that this week as I traversed some stark scriptural terrain. This summer I’ve been preaching in
Isaiah. While there are starker
scriptural landscapes (think Leviticus or Nahum), compared to the recent year spent
preaching from John, beauty in Isaiah is found by moving slowly and stooping
down. But there is certainly beauty
there.
God
spreads his beauty everywhere. There are
just some places where you have to slow down and get up close to see it.
We
greatly relished our years in north Texas.
We discovered its beauty, which in turn has given me a better eye for
the more verdant beauties of places like Richmond. So, too, with Isaiah and John. So, too, with various seasons of life. So, too, with the variety of people I meet.
God
spreads his beauty everywhere. And one
of his many ongoing projects with us is to develop our eye for full variety of
his beauty.
Blessings,
Keith
