Observing, Inspecting, Searching…

Last week on holiday we visited Flamborough Head, just North of Bridlington on the Yorkshire coast. From the cliff top we observed seals on the beach. An excited group of bird-watchers had seen an Icterine Warbler in a hedge. Rachel saw it; I didn’t. Apparently they’re pretty rare.

At the RSPB site at Bempton sea birds were nesting in the sheer chalk cliffs. We observed kittiwakes, gannets, razorbills, guillemots flying, perching on the cliff edge. It was impressive – there were thousands of them.

We returned home on Saturday. I did an inspection of the garden. I’ve observed… the grass needs cutting… the sun and the rain have caused our potatoes and tomatoes to grow… dahlias planted a few weeks ago are appearing… uninvited weeds are growing particularly well.

…We’ve seen no fish in our pond. Ten days ago, there were eight. I fear that a passing heron has observed, inspected and eaten!

Gervase Finn writes humorously and perceptively about his work as a school inspector. At Barton Moor Primary School the headteacher, Miss Sally Precious, shows him the school log books. He reads of a previous inspection:

December 10^th 1913: ‘The affairs of the school are ill-managed by a committee of languid, inept amateurs and the school is staffed by two incompetent teachers… The Headmaster is so absorbed in administrative and financial concerns that he neglects the intellectual and spiritual development of the children.’

Fortunately that wasn’t how Gervase Finn found Miss Precious and her school in 1988!

Musing on my faith… I observe nature, people, situations… I look closer, inspecting motives, needs, morality… I search out truth, love, integrity, wisdom, God…

My faith’s also about a God who observes, seeing everything; nothing is hidden from HIm. He looks closer, inspecting motives, needs, intentions… searching out the lonely and the lost, the despairing and the despondent…

I shall keep on observing, inspecting and searching… secure in the knowledge that I have a God who continues to observe, inspect and search.