Mercy in the mess
Whenever the world gets too much for me and bad news is the only news I ever seem to hear about, I like to retreat into the peace of the woodland near where I live. Don't get me wrong, I don't go there as an escape from the world. I go there to make sense of the world.
On the first morning I went walking I was struck by the mess and disorder all around me – broken tree branches, burnt hollow logs, dead leaf litter and sticks blanketed all but the narrow path I was walking on. My initial thought was that this woodland world wasn't any prettier than my own messed up world, and I was filled with disappointment.
Almost the moment that thought flittered across my mind I heard it - a raucous chorus of laughter. It started slowly – just one voice at first – but soon others were added, reaching a crescendo of such hilarity that I found myself joining in and my disappointment melted away. The laughter of the chorus of kookaburras perched in the trees above me was completely irresistible. As his companions continued to laugh, one kookaburra flew down to the woodland floor and deftly caught something to eat amongst the leaf litter. It wasn't long before he was joined by a pair of blackbirds that also began joyfully tossing leaves and twigs left and right as they foraged amongst the mess.
It was then I understood how foolish I was to think that this wild place – filled as it is with evidence of the endlessly creative Spirit of God – could be anything but beautiful.
These raucous, laughing creatures reminded me that there is mercy in the mess; for it is amongst the broken branches, hollow logs and dead leaf litter that these animals seek and find the nourishment they need to grow and flourish.
Our world, like that of the kookaburras, is messy, cluttered as it is by broken promises, hollow words or dead forgotten dreams. But perhaps if we would take the time to search amongst the mess as the kookaburras do, rather than focus on what's on the surface, we too could find a morsel to nourish our souls.
We might even discover that God's mercy has been there for us all along, just waiting for us to discover it.
let the birds tell you what's going on.
Put your ear to the earth—learn the basics.
Listen—the fish in the ocean will tell you their stories.
Isn't it clear that they all know and agree
that God is sovereign, that he holds all things in his hand—
Every living soul, yes,
every breathing creature?" Job 12:7-10
Blessings,
Karen Mulvey
NSW Chaplain
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