Trampoline

About ten years ago we went to see Lisa’s family in the USA. For the first time on a visit to the US, we decided we’d have some time on our own before going on to see the family.in California and then the family in Virginia. So we flew to San Francisco, spent a couple of days there and then drove down the coast to LA. It was the most expensive thing we’ve ever done. We’d saved for three years. It took every penny we had. But we did it. It’s the last time I saw the family in California. The nest summer, we stayed at home for our holiday. But we did, though, buy a trampoline. And we had fun trying to be gymnasts! Meg and Zac loved it and were pretty good at some of the moves you can do on a trampoline. The same can’t be said for the adults! The trampoline was fun that summer. And the next. And a few more after that. But as we all got older it lost it’s appeal. My nephews enjoyed it on various visits and others too, who came to see us. But, over time, it became a neglected piece of garden furniture. It got dirty and began to look shabby. The birds pecked the foam protectors on the poles. The weather made it’s impact. No more could we invite anyone to have a go on it. And there it stood looking forlorn and useless. Eventually we had to tell people not to go on it because we weren’t sure it was safe. It had to go. But it stayed. Even the safety net began to disintegrate. Last week, after looking at it all through lockdown, I finally took it apart. It needed to go. Really it did. The grass underneath can now grow again. The garden looks better now it’s gone. I don’t feel guilty every time I look at it thinking I really should do something about it. It’s better all round. Some things really need to go don’t they? There are things that we let linger, that we really should deal with. Things that drag us down. Things that linger from the past. Things that affect how we think of ourselves and others. Things that hinder our relationship with ourselves, others and God. Things that hold us back from living as God desires for us. Gideon was hiding in a winepress threshing wheat because he was frightened of what was around him. He thought of himself as the lowest of the low in Israel (Judges 6 and 7)). There were some things in his life that needed to go. Not least, not seeing himself as God saw him. He had taken on the belief of those around him who had forgotten about God and forgotten how to live well with God. But God met Gideon in the winepress. And he still wants to meet people like you and me in the midst of everything that’s going on for us. There may be some things we need to address, but God want wants to help his people live well. The trampoline wasn’t going to remove itself from the garden. It needed to go, but there was work to be done. There is work to be done in me. And maybe in you. I can remove trampolines from the garden, but I need help with the stuff in me that gets in the way of living well. Thank God for the winepress.