[This is one in a series of devotional reflections prepared for Horley Baptist Church during July 2023]
A farmer stood upon a hill,
pondering over a sheep that was ill,
as to whether the wether would weather the weather
or whether the weather the wether would kill. Anon
In contrast to many other places in the world, people in Britain have a particular reputation for talking about the weather. Maybe it is because the weather in the British Isles is inconsistent and unreliable whereas elsewhere the seasonal variations are more predictable and day to day weather is more consistent.
All that is changing. We hear of abnormalities in the weather all over the world. Heatwaves and wildfires threaten our plans for the summer. Droughts and floods have dramatically different consequences yet often occur in close proximity to each other. The weather forecast is no longer an adjunct to the TV news; it has become the focus of the news itself.
Are natural events becoming more frequent or is it that we are hearing more about them? When the Indonesian island of Krakatoa erupted in 1883 there were relatively few surviving witnesses. Now anyone with a smartphone is a potential news reporter; when Iceland’s Mount Fagradalsfjall erupted last week there was aerial footage being shared around the world within hours.
Jesus commented on our ability to forecast the weather:
When evening comes, you say, “It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,” and in the morning, “Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.” You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. Matthew 16 v2-3 [NIVUK]
What did he mean by ‘the signs of the times’?
The prophet Joel wrote about effects of drought and wildfires and he identifies the cause as being the national neglect of the worship of God. In a similar tone Jeremiah describes the troubles faced by the Israelites of his time, and much of their experience is similar to what we see now. Once again, the root cause is defined as being the widespread failure to respect God’s commandments.[1]
We live in a time when climate concerns have a high profile, but have the protagonists missed the point? They search for answers but ignore the maker’s instructions. How can we, as relatively few individuals, turn the tide of spiritual neglect that has become apparent, not just in our nation but in many others too?
In this week’s ‘Yours’ reflection[2] Chris Ginter suggested that simply commenting about the weather could be sufficient to start a conversation that could lead on to more important things. You don’t have to provoke a storm, just a gentle wind of change could be all that is needed.
Resources:
[1] Joel 1 v15-20, Jeremiah 14.
[2] The weekly bulletin from Horley Baptist Church, edition dated 16/Jul/2023.
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Last week’s reflection: Are You Treading Water?
Contributed by Steve Humphreys; © Steve Humphreys
Thanks again Steve, for your perseverance with these devotionals rain or shine, ‘whatever the weather’.
Always enjoy your messages, have just printed out this one.
Priscilla