Letting Go ... letting God

Church of the Ascension, Timoleague  

Have you ever been at your wits end?  Have you ever been in a situation that was completely desperate and you simply could not see any way out?  I suspect most of us have felt a bit like that at one time or another.  Maybe it was a health problem, or something to do with finances or to do with a relationship or some kind of depression.  We are at a total loss and so we do not know what to do.  And so what is often our very last resort?  That’s right, we call out to God to help us.  And what are our prayers like in these moments; are they gentle platitudes?  No they are from the very depths of our being, from (as the saying goes) ‘the bottom of our hearts’.  And so with our fists clenched and our stomach in knots and our teeth grinding we cry out to God…  And do you know what?  In these moments prayer seems to have a potency and a power way and above the norm, it is like when we are on our knees in our own personal Garden of Gethsemene that the heavens are torn open and we have direct access to the Throne of Grace.  We have at last made room for God and He is there before the first word has even been uttered from our trembling lips.  

Something about that foot

Detail from Stained Glass in the Church of the Ascension, Timoleague, Co. Cork

Nikon D70s, f4, 1/30 sec, ISO 200, 75mm equivalent

There's something about that foot.  It was one of my first Sundays in Timoleague when I saw it.  The image seemed to jump out at me.  I even remember waking in the early hours of one morning with this image burning in my mind.  It's the wound of course.  It is compelling, it says so much, it is so deep so clinically cut, so painful looking.  This is the bit that get's me - it is my fault.  It is my fault that Christ had to be given those horrible wounds, more than that, that He willingly allowed those wounds in order to take the punishment that I deserve.  Such incredible love and amazing grace, what a Sacrifice, what a Saviour.  


Happy Easter.