SEASONS

If you are still listening to the news, you may be sure the major topic will be
Covid-19 and Lockdown. Another news item that always comes up is the
weather.

I have learnt a new word … PHENOLOGY … meaning a study of biological
events or seasons. Are we still in spring or moved on to summer? Or, you
might ask, have we returned to winter during the past week?

With the thought of the ‘seasons’ going through my mind, I was listening to our
new Baptist Union President, Yinka Oyekan, at his inauguration on Sunday
evening – and what did he say??? We are to discern the seasons we are in.

Season 1. This period of Covid-19 God will turn around for good.

Season 2. We are in a listening season. God always speaks to those prepared to
listen. Ephesians 2:10 says that he has already prepared work for us to do. As
we listen, are we aligning ourselves with God for the next step which is
coming?.

Step 3. To implement what God is saying and to discern where he is prompting
us to take action.

He referred to the illustration Jesus used of the fig tree in Luke 21:29-31 “Look
at the fig tree and all the trees. When they sprout leaves, you can see for
yourselves and know that summer is near. Even so, when you see these things
happening, you know that the kingdom is God is near.”

Kate Coleman (who preached so powerfully in our church a few years ago) in
her prayer referred to this as a season of pause and acceleration.

Are we prepared to go on this adventure with Jesus?

The hymn ‘Master speak Thy servant heareth’ has these lines:

“I am listening Lord for Thee. What has Thou to say to me?
Master speak! And make me ready,
when Thy voice is truly heard,
with obedience glad and steady, still to follow every word’
I am listening, Lord, for Thee