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Written by Mark Madavan
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It happened again. It wasn’t planned, expected or desired but once again it happened. Arguably it could be said that this is simply a coincidence that I am plundering to provide a point to my latest Pastor’s letter, however I reckon it is God using our home again as a tangible teaching tool. Regular readers will know that the life and times of Mulberry House seem to have a spiritual symbiosis with the church – with over a dozen of my pervious letters demonstrating this link! A simple coincidence perhaps, something that God can use to make me stop and ponder – definitely.
The latest occurrence has to do with fences. After months of pursuing solicitors to finalise contracts, three days before Christmas it happened – an amazing present from God – the field was ours! We immediately appointed a company to erect a fence and as we broke into the New Year the work started to mark out for all to see the land God had given us. It was brilliant to see. Yes we have some serious challenges before us; gaining official planning permission, raising enough funds - some very major challenges indeed. But the fence was a significant marker, a declaration proclaiming that this land was given by God, belongs to God and will be used by God.
Meanwhile back at Mulberry House, the New Year weather was having a clear case of post-Christmas wind. Seriously. Damage was inflicted on most fence panels around our house and one side of the garden suffered total obliteration – panels disintegrated, posts ripped out, climbers crushed and perennials pounded into the mud. It was a serious mess.
A quick call to our insurers revealed that fences were not covered by our policy, then a quick chat with our neighbours responsible for maintaining that boundary revealed that they were quite happy with the skeletal branches (ambitiously referred to as a hedge) as being an adequate boundary, So we were faced with an expensive (and annoying) challenge. Happy New Year!
So what does this have to do with the church fence situation I hear you ask! (Go on humour me and say it!)
Cathy shared our New Year challenge with her friends on Facebook and what happened next was remarkable. Loads of people sent comments of encouragement, sympathising with the unwelcomed stress and expense, others sent links to where legal advice might be found, others offered to come over to join a working party, one even offered to “send some boys around to convince our neighbours to reconsider their position” (they were joking – I think!) and another felt God wanted them to financially help us.
We were totally blown away (no pun intended!). We were in no way asking or expecting others to help restore what was damaged. Why should people help us with fences and finances when other people were facing challenges much greater than ours? But then God made His point. God’s family was doing what God’s family does incredibly well – it loves, it cares, it gives, it brings hope.
When I stop and think about the mammoth task we face as a church to build a facility on the fenced off land, it is monumentally daunting. The lesson God is highlighting is that the solution is not found in stoically soaking up the stress or simply denying the situation by never stopping to consider the cost, nor is it to sit back and expect someone else to do all the hard work and sort things out. The solution is to keep God first – to purposefully invite God and His family to do what we do best. To love. To care. To give. To bring hope. That is when situations change. Matthew 6:33 “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
Challenges are a part of life. The way through them is to purposefully invite God and His people into the midst of them. Together, with God and His people, we can change the world, our nation, our community, our field and our back fence.
Be a part of God’s solution.
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