Yesterday was quite an incredible day.

In the morning I said goodbye to a great pastor who has left a wonderful legacy and although not at the end of his ministry has finished the part of his journey with the church in Gillingham.

In the evening I attended AngelSpace and brushed shoulders with young people who are right at the start of their ministry with some not even believing that they could possibly have a ministry or be used by God in any way.

As I look back over the 24 hours, it is as if God is saying the cycle continues. There are times of sadness when things come to end, but if we look around us these are balanced out with times of excitement too.

An event I had to miss yesterday which I really wanted to get to were some of the Southwark ordinations in Croydon. More people, more friends, starting out on a new ministry and excited and daunted by the prospect.

The cycle continues and has been continuing for centuries. This thinking connects with The Long View poem I quoted last week as well as my trip to the cathedral roof. If we think we are going to do major stuff and see lots of things through to completion we are going to be incredibly restricted and disappointed in what we do. If we take that long view and realise we are working in collaboration, not just with our present team colleagues and associates, but also with Christians that have died before us and those that come after us we can start to understand that our role is to simply play our part.

It hit me as I was going to sleep that we talk a lot about ‘sowing seeds’ and ‘others seeing the fruit’ or ‘we don’t know what the spirit is doing’ – but in reality a lot of language we use is that of great expectation. Sometimes we expect to sow, water and plant all in one quick swoop!

I just wonder whether this can put people off of becoming involved in mission or ministry. ‘Come and be part of something exciting’ sounds good, but may be the thought scares people off. ‘Come and see how your individual gift can be used’ may be more attractive. I’m not so sure either way?

We have been called to use our gifts, to play our part, in the great master plan of the creator. Some of it may not make sense, some of what we do may not even be seen by anyone but God, but all of it contributes, all of it is valid, and all of it would be missed at some time if it was not there.

When we understand we play but a part we then grasp how unimportant we are because of our dependency on each other and upon God. If we realise this we start to be concerned that we do our thing well, which stops us looking nto ‘check’ to see if others are working as well as us! As we grasp and focus on our part, we allow others to grasp and focus on theirs. The whole process releases us to be what we are called to be – nothing more and nothing less.

This cycle of collaboration puts all in perspective and really does liberate us in our expectations of ourselves and of others.

As I move out this week to join with God in his community, I want to be conscious that I am riding on the prayers of those that have gone before me, sowing in areas that have been prepared well for others to see fruit from while I see the results of seeds sown and nurtured by others.