Don’t give up!
Thelma Gould Johnston brings us today’s reflection from her garden in Conwy. It is such a wise and timely encouragement for any of us who are struggling with the continued demands of social distancing or the other challenges and suffering of this time.
Er ein bod yn allanol yn dadfeilio,
yn fewnol fe’n hadnewyddir ddydd ar ôl dydd.
Oherwydd y baich ysgafn o orthrymder
sydd arnom yn awr, darparu y mae,
y tu hwnt i bob mesur,
bwysau tragwyddol o ogoniant i ni,
dim ond inni gadw’n golwg,
nid ar y pethau a welir, ond ar y pethau na welir.
Dros amser y mae’r pethau a welir,
ond y mae’r pethau na welir yn dragwyddol.
Even though our outer nature is wasting away,
our inner nature is being renewed day by day.
For this slight momentary affliction is preparing us for
an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure,
because we look not at what can be seen but at what
cannot be seen; for what can be seen is temporary,
but what cannot be seen is eternal.
A few years ago I planted a yellow climbing rose but over time it just got overwhelmed and choked by all the brambles and vines. I had completely forgotten about it until one day to my amazement I saw, right at the top of all the dense hedge growth, a single yellow rose.
I got busy with secateurs and hacked away at the thorns until I found my rose tree, looking rather neglected but very much alive. From then on I decided to care for it better. All the while that I had doubted its existence and given up, it was still there. It was secret and hidden but persistently climbing towards the light.
The Bible reminds us to be like my rose, and never accept defeat:
If you sow to the Spirit, you will reap eternal life from the Spirit.
So let us not grow weary in doing what is right,
for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up.
Gweddi
O Dduw, cynorthwya fi i ymddiried ynot,
cynorthwya fi i gofio dy fod gyda mi,
cynorthwya fi i gredu
na all dim fy ysgaru oddi wrth dy gariad
a amlygwyd yng Nghrist Iesu ein Harglwydd.
Amen.
Prayer
O God, help me to trust you,
help me to know that you are with me,
help me to believe that
nothing can separate me from your love
revealed in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
cyf. Meira Shakespear
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