Northumbria Community

Waymarks Part 2

We have been stressing the importance of way-marks. That as a Community we need to stop from time-to-time and take the opportunity to retrace our steps, and look for the way-marks that tell us we are on course. As Jeremiah 6:16 ‘Ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is and walk in it’. Put simply, the way-marks are there precisely because that’s what they are – way marks – markers along the way. So, allowing the way-marks to become the final destination instead of pointers along the way defeats the purpose. And, conversely, allowing the excitement of the new directions to dispense with the old way-marks altogether is equally foolish.

 As a Community we have the liberty to explore, the freedom to experiment but always within sight of the God-given way-marks. When we ask, what are the way-marks? What is the essential value in what we do? Indeed why do we do what we do? The answer lies in our vocation – what has God said? What is God saying?

 What we do know is that as Christians, followers of Jesus, we are all called to SEEK (Nether Springs, the tide coming in, going deeper within), and we are all called to SING (Upper Springs, the tide going out, making a difference where we are). That is, to seek God for Himself and to know our true self, on the one hand, and to ‘sing the Lord’s song’ where God has placed us, on the other. Embracing and encircling these two is the ongoing question of SHALL, how then shall we (as seekers and singers) live? How do we do it, where we are, who we are? How do we express our vocation, our heart, alone and together?