Looking forward to an ancient path

In seeking to find the Lord’s heart for and in, the many aspects of walking, I found him revealing insights that are overwhelming. Taking time out to reflect on these is crucial – long sessions of thinking through. This blog now forms a part of that.

Martin Scott talks of a ‘sensitivity’ during and after events that enables us to reflect on what has taken place as a key to understanding the leading of the Spirit. Sharon Stone has suggested that our understanding (as well as our hearts) must be aligned with God so we can partner with him to a greater depth. I have found both these factors to be crucial. So, I’ve been asking the Lord to expand me in every area so my sensitivity and ability to understand increases. This is so that I can better receive, interpret and orientate what I do to be in alignment with him.

One way, of course, is to spend time soaking in his presence rather than being elsewhere – we see and understand by revelation so much more when in his presence. We are people of the ‘now’ and finding time to reflect in this way can mean a fasted lifestyle in a way we are not used to – a denial of our preferences and ‘zones of me’. I also begin to see how vital it is to remain hidden and move only by the Spirit. I can see now why the Lord didn’t want me to set a walking schedule – because he wanted us to move or not move depending upon him. If I write out any kind of structure for the walking, I cannot be led by the Spirit!

Our heart’s desire is that our walking to be distinguished and honoured by your presence Lord. It’s only by your presence that people will know that this walk around the county is different from any other. Unknown people walking an unknown track that leads to an unknown place with no reward other than to find or bring God’s presence – this must be the heart of any walk for God. Power is not the answer; profile is not the answer; centrality brings empire.

Firstly, I want to listen for the rhythms of grace, hope, truth, life and freedom that connect heaven and earth. We want to open portals to heaven as we walk led by the Spirit of God. As I prayed into this, I felt the Lord whisper that we must pray over each section before going there – and seek his revelation for the next stage. This is something of a turnabout in strategy, as we were previously walking to a place and then praying for revelation. Now we must pray first and then walk along the path the Lord has shown us.

Jeremiah 6.16 could be perceived as an obvious verse to pursue for this next stage but it holds a special meaning for us:

This is what the Lord says:
“Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths.
Ask where the good way is and walk in it,
And you will find rest for your souls.”
But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.’

The word ‘ancient’ here does not mean just historical – it means ‘everlasting’ or ‘eternal’. Our sense as we prayed (see photo) was that we walk both an eternal and ancient path, following in Cedd's footsteps, directed by the Spirit as he was.

This is because we now walk towards Bradwell – an apostolic place for our county. It was always a liminal place – somewhere isolated, even then, situated at the margins (as Martin would say). Cedd, brother to Chad and a student of Aidan of Lindisfarne, settled his apostolic HQ there when this was still the Land of the East Saxons. It’s also true that in walking towards Bradwell, we walk an old well-trodden path - I could easily believe that Cedd walked this path several times, from Chad’s Well to his little church on the coast.

Secondly, living at the margins is not ‘a big picture thing’ or an idea just to be talked about. For each of us, it is necessary in our everyday lives. The peregrinati understood this. The ancient (eternal) path they walked was one of denial, self-discipline, fasting and service.

There is that in me that screams for the marginal liminal places – and the richness of the Spirit that comes from that is our sustenance. To share fully with Jesus, we must walk the same road. We so need training in this – how to do it, how to do it persistently and perseveringly and lovingly. It’s easy to write it but not so easy to do.

We are immediately tapping into the truth that, in our land, we are with the Israelites in lacking understanding and forgetting how the Spirit wants us to live. We so often live, not joined to the spirit, but joined to our little idols of sameness and no risk. We remain dull in our existence, without hope to energise us, as the Israelites were when Jeremiah was first called. But the Lord remembered the devotion of their youth, their fire for him, and how he was loved and followed hungrily through the desert by them.

“I remember the devotion of your youth; how as a bride you loved me and followed me through the desert, through a land not sown.” His lament follows: “What fault did your fathers find in me that they strayed so far from me? They followed worthless idols and became worthless themselves.”

The land became defiled because the law dealers did not know the Lord, the leaders rebelled against him and the prophets prophesied by baal – every level of society was against God. It is entirely the point that Jerusalem forgot the Lord and did not even commemorate what had happened. Again, imagination plays a role as the Lord imagines the people returning to him (vs 21-25) and encourages them to return to him (Ch 4). As the watchman (Jer 1.11), Jeremiah sees clearly what is happening. His heart is in agony. The Lord speaks but is not heard (vs 10-11) – only Jeremiah understands the signs.

As watchmen, walking (Is 62.4 & 6) across our land, do we understand how the Lord looks at this land of the East Saxons? We are only a little way in and yet the sense of the Lord with us is strong. We walk within and without history; within the ancient paths, observing what has been done to honour God and what has not; and without honour but with the opportunity to bring a different spirit.

As I write these words, events occur that cause me to experience afresh what it means to live among the ignorant and disenfranchised. Those without a voice, who live with little dignity, are all around me. It is an encouragement that when I see these things, I know I value kindness, goodness and gentleness above material possessions. We need to learn afresh to value silence over noise, wisdom over education and experience over knowledge. I would rather dwell among those who have nothing but faithfulness and integrity; who are even mocked and scorned and suffer for doing good than among the ones who are arrogant and disobedient. It is often when our hearts are broken that we recognise what is really important. When all else is stripped away – beauty, youth, aspiration or even relationship – we realise that nothing and no one can replace the love of Jesus in our hearts.

How high, how wide, how deep is his love for us – energising and bringing hope.

Before I finish I must write about today's walk - Friday 9th May 2008. A small group of us (five in all) walked from Coalhouse Fort to Stanford-le-Hope. Our highlights today were twofold - the weather, which was wonderful, especially along the river and secondly, the Lord's ability to link us with key people in the towns through which we passed.

Before we left, we were privileged to pray with and for a gentle and stalwart man of God (Bob) at Coalhouse Fort. We were touched by his humility and grace. With him was a woman of God (Rosemary) who encouraged us greatly in our prayers.

Walking along the Thames sea wall, later, enjoying the sunshine, we were nevertheless acutely aware of the poverty of spirit that the precious people of Tilbury and Thurrock experience. Their land and their heritage has been 'dumped on' by London for centuries. Our prayers near the end of the sea wall encompassed seeking redemption for the land (its redemptive gift is to be a place of deposit, currently one of rubbish, but this land could be a well of the water of life!) and for the people - so downtrodden and rejected. We honour Tim, a local prayer warrior (among other things) who encourages and serves at great cost.

Walking from Mucking Church through Stanford Warren nature reserve towards the point of the River Thames called The Hope was delightful and so was meeting the doughty Anglican minister of Stanford-le-hope, John. Again, a true man of God with the roar of a lion simmering in the timbre of his voice. He invited us to ascend the church tower and once there, blew his shofar after which we declared,

Let God arise!
And his enemies be scattered...

As we left and returned home, I was aware how we are hearing the cry of the land through the Body of Christ.

We are the people who feel the anguish and cry out in mourning like Jeremiah, but who, like Jeremiah, have eternal hope. With confidence we can say that God is raising up people who can walk the eternal paths and pray. The Body of Christ are those who can renew ancient covenants and re-dig wells of living water - people whom God has anointed for this season.