Harvest Festival

This week at our bible study group we read and discussed the reading from John 4 - the first part. A lot of emphasis on the necessity of water and our need for it for survival. God's whole earth cries out for water so his creation can flourish. We look to water to experience the refreshment we need physically, the beauty we see in our rivers and our oceans. Too much water can bring terror with it. Flooding and tsunamis. Our hearts lift at the sight of a rainbow - God's reminder that he is always there for us, through rain or whatever.

And then, going back to John 4, the sensitivity and depth of understanding in the conversation shared by Jesus and the woman from Samaria. They met at the well that Jacob so thoughtfully had built so many years before. She was drawing water for her household. Jesus was thirsty and had no bucket and his disciples had gone to the nearest town to buy food. He asked her for a drink. Her astonishment would have known no bounds. It was a huge "no-no" for Jesus who was a Jew to eat or drink from the same bowls as Samaritans. But Jesus had no compunction about breaking rules, putting people before unnecessary rituals and humbug. The time they spent together was very beautiful, very precious, and the woman was left with no words of chastisement, no feeling as being treated as a lesser person. Instead she was filled with elation and hurried off with her new friend's words ringing in her ears, "Everyone who drinks the water I give them, will never thirst. Indeed the water I give them will be a spring of water welling up into eternal life."

Today we are reminded of the need for water and the advice from Revelations 7 which says, "Hurt not the earth, nor the wind, nor the sea, nor the trees." And we look at our display of God's harvest given in love to us, his children.

Outside my front door, growing in a large pot is an ugly, tattered-looking cactus type plant. Why would anyone want to keep it? So unattractive. It could represent the distortion of many lives, lives lived in poverty, in hopelessness, and depression. And then about once a year a magical thing happens. A funny little brown shoot appears on the edge of one of the tough, dry leaves. It grows over a period of days until it forms a bud about the size of my hand. Pink edgings and creamy white inside. This plant is called "Moonlight Beauty" by the Japanese. As the full moon shines, the bud, over 2 or more hours, opens into the most exquisite flower the size of my opened hand. Pink petals framing its pure creamy petals inside. And the air is filled with the most heavenly perfume.

Why did it fill me with such excitement and joy?

The ugly background made me think of the life the Samaritan women had lived, her past that Jesus saw though compassionate eyes. The beauty of the flower expressed Jesus love for all.

Jean Andrewes, 23.03.2014