THE SONG OF THE TURTLE

 

Turtles have always been a fascination of mine. From the little tropical turtle I brought home from the pet store one summer that would recline under his plastic palm tree in his own digs to the many I would find hiking as a boy scout or in the pond near my home in Swainsboro. Two precious friends of mine in the Riverside Church in Macon Shirley and Melson Butler had a turtle they named "Yurtle" that would return to their patio every spring like clock work. He was like a member of the family. Turtles are notoriously slow (we think) - they don't run but PLOD peacefully. The dictionary says to plod is to walk slowly with a heavy tread, to work slowly, methodically (yes in A METHODIST MANNER), and thoroughly.
     But we relish speed - FASTER is better. But our God doesn't work that way. The Creator took time to create and Ecclesiastes reminds us that "the race is not to the swift." God wants us to walk with God "plodding" like the turtle: slowly, carefully, loyally, faithfully..... Yes blades of grass grow quickly (it seems like I can watch it as soon as the summer lawn gets freshly cut). But the blades of grass also wither and fade quickly.
     Land turtles can take up to 5 hours to make a mile. . .but they teach us something like the one we found in my front yard yesterday when we returned from worship and lunch. Jacob, who has affinity for the tortoises reminded me yesterday when we were urging the creature to move to safety in a neighboring ravine.... let him take his time..... and thats what GOD would have us do I'm sure....

I love this incredible piece of sculpture by Frederick E. Hart who is so famous for his CREATION  sculptures at the front portals of The National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. (one of my favorite sacred spaces in our country). This piece called, RISING CHRIST depicts Christ rising triumphantly and transparently through glass so that we see the RISEN by seeing others through HIM. That is such an awesome way for us to see one another, our city, our nation, and the whole of creation.  The power of resurrection should impact the way we see....and when it does it is a DAY OF NEW BEGINNINGS everyday.....