Dear friends,

The children have gone back to school, Christmas adverts are appearing in the shops and through our letterboxes in the form of all sorts of unwanted and unsolicited catalogues, merry phrases such as "the nights are drawing in now, aren't they?" are being cheerfully rung from person to person... yes, it's Autumn again.  The local DIY shop was advertising an 'end of Summer season' sale - we wondered where it had been!

I like to do a bit of gardening early in the morning, and one of the things that I notice now is that the ground is damper, covered in dew in fact.  I'm told by my more scientific friends that dew happens like this: the earth absorbs heat from the sun during the day and when the cold and dark of the night comes the earth gives back some of the heat it had stored up from the day, resulting in a layer of moisture on the ground. 

Perhaps that's a bit of a simple explanation - but I understand it.  I also see it as an illustration about Christian living.  We all absorb a lot into ourselves in the course of a normal day. We absorb the sights and sounds and smells around us, we absorb the news on television or radio, and stories of what's been happening in the lives of those around us, all of which can make us laugh or cry.  We can absorb tensions that create stress and anger.  And often under such circumstances it doesn't take much for us to give back something of the emotions that we have absorbed, and maybe even to shout or snap at someone.  Or we can get agitated about what needs to be done and think to ourselves, "don't just sit there... do something!"

Through the Psalmist God encourages us to "be still and know that I am God."  Like the earth absorbing the heat of the sun we are encouraged to take time to be still and absorb the love of God, to acknowledge his presence and allow him to fill us with his peace.  When we do this we find that when things get a bit darker or colder in our lives, when events and people around us create tensions, stresses or even make us feel threatened, we shall find ourselves giving back what we have absorbed of the peace and love of God.  Rather like a sponge that has soaked up the water it only has water to give back when it gets squeezed.

So, "don't just do something... sit there!" And get to know the God who loves you more than you will ever know, the God who surrounds you with his peace, the God from whom nothing can separate you. 

Best wishes to you all,