Covenant journey

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Published on Monday, 09 January 2012 08:21

Many Methodists went to a Covenant service yesterday, its one of the ways we mark the start of a new year.  On my way between two such services I called at Woolacombe, one of our local surfing beaches - and even in the mist of a coolish January day there were several people in the sea with their boards.  Sea temperatures are down to about 10 degrees Centigrade at this time of the year - so not as cold as they will be in March or April.

Out in the mist you can see the waves - but from the sea shore I could not see where my car was parked - only a vague darkening of the mist in the direction of the rocks I had clambered over to get to the beach.

For the surfers the journey of the day was a repeat of swim out, catch a wave, surf in, swim out, catch a wave, surf in ....  and all the time they could see very little more than the nearest waves and a few yards of beach.  Why-ever do they do is?  The answer is in the testing of skills - of your abilities against each wave - each wave is different, the sea is never the same twice. [acknowledgements to the Greek philosopher Heraclitus!].  Learning how to surf better - and the thrill of catching the big one.

So what has this to do with Covenant services?

It strikes me that In my yearly remaking of my Covenant with God I am somewhat similar to the surfer.  I can see only a little of the wave I am surfing.  I keep coming back and doing it again, and again.  I am learning, each time, little by little (I hope) of how to surf the wave of God's spirit on the shores of life - which all sounds a bit trite.

Looking back over the last year I see myself making some of the mistakes I have made before, and even inventing new ones,  but I think in some things I have learned a little more of God's purposes.  So I will go back into the sea and find a new wave and ride it in, and look back next year in thankfulness that the sea of God's Spirit is not as cold as the waters of Woolacombe in January.