The Rectory
Shrewsbury Road
Cockshutt
Ellesmere
SY12 0JQ
01939 270211
What motivates you!
Why do you do what you do day by day, over the
last few
years, or even throughout your life?
What have been the formative influences upon you?
I must probably thank my older brother when
we were young for being, I thought, over protective of his own hobbies
and
interests (stamp collecting and train spotting mainly) because that
caused me
to take up other interests, particularly drama and singing, which I
have found
helped to develop confidence with people and improved my communication
skills. Mind you my brother’s stamps
are probably worth a fair amount now, and his train memorabilia did get
him on
the ‘Antiques Roadshow’. When it comes
to faith there has often been a defining moment or a divine revelation
that has
set an individual or a group on a particular course.
For me it was being asked if I thought Jesus really existed, and if he really did the things that the Bible said. I stated that I did think he was real and that the accounts were accurate. Then I was encouraged, if he really did rise from the dead, then he isn’t dead any longer and we can get to know him. This simple logic, made good sense to me and I took the step of saying my own prayer to God (rather than the usual muffled ‘Amen’ to someone else’s prayer). This was the beginning of a beautiful friendship, and I soon found myself involving God in every aspect of my life, consulting Him about the small details as well as the big decisions. That’s how it started for me, and my faith grew proportionately to the amount I exercised it.
People are motivated by different experiences good
or bad,
and sometimes that can become an excuse for certain unhealthy habits or
characteristics. Sometimes we may not
be that clear about what it was that started us off on a particular
track, but
the habit has taken hold. Churches are
similar in that we have been honouring all that has been done in the
past by
trying to perpetuate it in our time.
But what was the starting point – maybe a saintly monk took pity
on the local
lost, or the beautiful countryside cried out for a sheltered haven
where God
could be worshipped.
But what moves us
now? What might Jesus be encouraging us
to do? The purpose of the ‘Vision
Seeking’ day on 12 July at St Martins' Chaptere House is for us to
listen to God and try to
discern what he may be saying to the individual churches.
You never know, he might be saying something
quite surprising or indeed give us a fresh vision, a glimpse of a
picture of
how things might be (maybe Jesus sitting in on our services or other
church
activity). I’m sure that we’ll come
away with something curious to ponder.
I hope you have a marvellous, memorable and
motivating summer too.
David
(Reverend David Ash)
Copyright
© 2006 Cockshutt Parish Church
