God’s Plan

I chose you and appointed you to go and bear much fruit, the kind of fruit that endures. John 15: 16

Cuthbert was a natural leader of people, yet he also had a strong inner motivation to the solitary life. How could he know which of these motivations was God’s plan for him? One day he was conversing on Coquet Island with Abbess Aelfledd, as to what God’s plan might be for the Northumbrian kingdom and its ruler, as well as for its church . We learn that because Cuthbert heeded Boisil’s prophetic words for him, he had become willing to accept a call to be a bishop for a period, yet that had not prevented his plans to have a period as a contemplative.

As we reflect upon the wisdom of friends and of our own hearts, we need to go with the flow of whatever God wills.

I cannot invent new things like the airship
Which sails on silver wings
But today a wonderful thought in the dawn was given
And the stripes on my robe,
Shining from wear, were suddenly fair
Bright with light falling from heaven –
Gold and silver and bronze light from the windows of heaven.
And the thought was this:
That a sacred plan is hid in my hand;
That my hand is big
Big, because of this plan
That God, who dwells in my hand knows this sacred plan
Of the things God will do for the world
using my hand.
Toyohiko Kagawa

There’s a divinity that shapes our ends .rough-hew them how we will
William Shakespeare

As tools come to be sharpened by the blacksmith,
so may we come, Lord.
As sharpened tools go back to their owner,
so may we go back to our everyday life
to be used by you.
A prayer from Africa