How's That!

What do these phrases have in common?

Backlift, Beehive, Belter, Bend the back, Biffer, Blocker, Bouncer and Silly mid off!!

They are all cricket parlance. 

I've loved listening to the latest series with England playing India around our great cricket grounds and I write this as we are nearing the end and England need 42 to seal the series.

You learn a new language and go on an emotional rollercoaster. I rely on radio as we don't have the channel that gives you the live pictures. But I love listening. I form all sorts of pictures in my mind and love the familiar voices of the commentators painting more pictures for me. Sometimes if I can, I then watch the hi-lights in the evening on a well known British channel. It gives you the opportunity to watch the best shots of the day. It's a game with 2 batters, a bowler, fielders and 2 umpires.

You would think there was a pretty standard way the game goes, in, out - how's that! But what I watch can be very different to what I saw in my mind. It all adds to the story of the game. And like everything in life there are endless twists and turns, things that no-one has ever seen before, surprises, winning to losing can happen in an instant! Cricket has its rules of engagement and language to learn. But very little is ever just a repeat of the last game. 

This last month during Sunday morning services the sermons have focused on the letter of Colossians. This is Paul (so most people think) writing to the young church in Colossae. It doesn't matter how many times we may have read this letter or listened to preacher's thoughts and reflections about it, there is always something new. There is language to learn, principles of how to read it to give context (rules of the game) but we also open ourselves up to the fullness of the experience. Faith is not a piece of theatre on repeat. 

God meets us whether we read alone or whether we gather together in our worship.

The Spirit translates the familiar words and brings them to life for now for each of us.

How's that!