Choose Life

Yesterday morning in church Ray described a tree… growing beside the stream it’s well watered, has deep roots… it’s strong and bears fruit… I remembered

We shall not, we shall not be moved,
Just like a tree that’s planted by the water
We shall not be moved

This old African-American spiritual and protest song has expressed unity and conviction in struggles against oppressive employers, low wages, dangerous working conditions, racial justice… injustice and prejudice of all kinds.

In daughter-Jo’s church they’d been thinking about Jesus calling his disciples to follow him. As an illustration she’d walked round their church inviting members of the congregation to follow her. Old, young, whoever…

Folks had the choice – to stay sitting in their pews securely inactive, or to get up and start walking – not knowing what they might be asked to do next! They could volunteer for the unknown, or stay and hope they didn’t get asked…

Last night’s ‘Antiques Road Show’ included an extraordinary set of WW2 RAF medals… that pointed to missions, bravery and involvement in action… Two ‘caterpillar badges’ showed membership of the 100-year-old ‘Caterpillar Club’ – he’d used a parachute to bail out of a disabled aircraft.

The badge represents the silkworm who spins the silk threads that made the first parachutes… Caterpillars escape from their cocoons to survive… airmen in trouble escape from their aircraft… The club’s motto is: ‘Life depends on a silken thread’.

Reading Deuteronomy 19… The Israelite nation have been wandering in the desert for 40 years. Moses assembles the people to deliver his final address before he dies. He presents the choice – enter the ‘Promised Land’ or stay where you are; choose life or death.

Musing… My life-tree… what’s my water, how strong am I? I shall not be moved…? Am I willing to leave the security of my pew or my doomed cockpit?… Choose to follow… Who? How? Where? ‘Life depends on a silken thread…’ Where’s my ‘Promised Land’?  

Choose life… having chosen, what’s next?