UMC20220326 Relationship is greater than knowledge

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UMC20220326 - Relationship is greater than knowledge¶

I had the wonderful privilege of taking our grade 8 students on a bonding tour this week. We went to Bonamanzi game reserve for 2 nights up the North Coast. Our time was spent on a myriad of excursions and activities. The game drives were breathtaking, we learnt so much about conservation, got to tag and release different species of bird and the African sun set over rhino and veld… I was in awe of the beautiful world that we live in.

One of the activities that really stood out for me was on the first night when we walked a short way away from our camp into the darkness of the night to do some star gazing. Our guide taught us how to read the stars. We learnt about the southern cross and how to tell direction, how to make out Orion's belt and the positions of the oldest and youngest stars in the sky. We saw 5 or 6 shooting stars and had a moment where we just contemplated the largeness of it all.

There have been a few times when I have done reflections like this where I experience a real sense of anxiety or fear. Does my life mean anything if I am such a speck in this large sea? Will I make any contribution to my world? But then the parable of the mustard seed comes to mind. The story of the smallest seed's ability to contribute in a large way to God's growing kingdom.

I have found in life that answers have become less important to me over time. And particularly, trying to get the right answer. Knowing God is more important than knowing about God or how God works. Relationship is more important knowledge. Conversation is more important than correction. Love is all there is and it's built into each one of us, we all know what we can do to share that love.

Who/what is God calling you to love this week? And how?

Love Cliff