Malton Methodist Circuit

© Malton Methodist Circuit 2012

The Methodist Church

Thought for the Month February 2012

Dear Friends,

Diversions! Not another round-the-houses waste-of-time! And  why do the black-and-yellow signs always go missing at vital junctions?! Diversions!!!

Yes, they can be very frustrating and  baffling – but they can generate humour, too. A friend of mine was a student many years ago in a German city. Needing a bus to reach the city from the village where he was lodging he climbed on, and eagerly ( if a little anxiously )  observed all the road signs they approached. Suddenly he noticed a black-and-yellow one pointing to  “ Umleitung “. ‘ Don’t want to go there ‘  he thought, and quickly hopped off the bus, only to realize it was a diversion sign meaning “ leading round “!!!

Like many of us he found that we can make fascinating discoveries along diversions. The other day, my wife and I were diverted off the local ‘B ‘ road and on to the back lanes where we were entranced by the burgeoning banks of snowdrops;  the long avenues of trees displaying their winter tracery; and the breathtaking views from the ridge overlooking the vale and moors beyond

And maybe life itself can have its share of positive diversions that, while disturbing our normal routines, can bring unexpected  insights and even new relationships with folk we’d never have met in the normal way of things.

And perhaps this is true of God as well. God has been referred to as a “God of surprises “, always ahead of us, putting out the signs, and inviting us to make new discoveries, if only we’ll take the risk. Yet if we do that, God always makes sure that his signs don’t go missing – but it’s up to us to keep our eyes peeled for them, especially at cross-roads!

Graham