A Pastoral Christian letter offering advice & guidance on finding freedom from the burden of temptation, sin and guilt. Temptation, sin and guilt can pose a heavy burden on the soul. And, if like Amelia, you want to find freedom from these burdens, this Booster has been created for you. — Dear Amelia, You sent […]
Nowadays, many parts of the world refer to ‘The Fall’ rather than ‘Autumn’ which is easily understood as it is the time when trees shed their leaves after they change from greens to rich oranges, yellows and reds. The origin of the word is uncertain but there is an Old French word ‘autumpne’ from the Thirteenth Century, possibly meaning ‘the drying up season’! Maybe some people feel it is the time when the sap starts to sink but it is actually a remarkably positive time both in nature and in life. Harvests are gathered in from Summer’s growth, celebrations are had and beautiful colours indicate that maturity has been reached. This is a season when over 150 million people celebrate ‘Halloween’ in America, children pay ‘Conkers’ (with seeds from Chestnut Trees), there are Harvest Festivals and bonfires in Britain. In Germany, people collect nuts, making crafts out of them and fly their kites with the strong winds that bring the leaves down. The French get very excited about this mushroom-picking season, but caution is needed for every year there are some 1,000 poisonings caused by mushrooms like this tempting ‘Amanita Muscaria’, the iconic red toadstool associated with fairies and the occult. This is often poisonous or hallucinogenic but is sometimes eaten when boiled in parts of Europe, Asia and North America. Various fruits still come in the Autumn but it is important to discern whether they are good or bad.
It is a curious thing that plants can heal but they can also kill! Basil can cure itches, Sage is good to gargle for sort throats and Mint can be helpful for upset tummies. No wonder then that you will find these in many gardens. Other plants such as Mistletoe, Poinsettia and Aconitum (known as Monksfoot or Wolf’s Bane) can be fatal. They can look so pretty but are less welcome guests in gardens. A weed is defined as a plant in the wrong place – does your garden have any?! Why is it that plants which grow so easily are often unwanted – Bind Weed, Knotweed and Ground Elder? It just takes a tiny root from these plants to spread into a thick mattress that strangles – a bit like bitterness! It’s a root that is very hard to get out and is also very destructive.
‘Everything we see is a shadow cast by that which we do not see’ – Martin Luther King Jr
Just as for Jerusalem, everyone wants a piece of the cross, laying a claim to it. So far as the cross goes, here are some of the claims to consider:
It is in the very nature of temptation that it is hard to resist and that it is common to every single person. Temptation takes many forms and has many disguises but be in no doubt that the aim of the one who tempts is to rob you of joy in your walk with God and the ultimate goal is to ruin you.
‘No one is above temptation. No one is above life in general’ – Kevin Jonas
And yet, every temptation is an opportunity either to bring glory to God through overcoming it or to bring pain to your soul through giving in.
