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Re-wiggling

Recently I have been introduced to the term re-wiggling.  It was in an article I read about Swindale Beck, where 200 years ago a stretch of river there had been straightened to create more farmland, and now the river has had its curves and bends returned.   The now apparent randomness of the river through the landscape, created places of safety for young fish and places of turbulence that oxygenated the river.  The less efficient river now had two speeds at which it travelled and resulting in its overall journey being slow and meandering.  This was in comparison to the efficient and fast flowing waters that had been there the previous 200 years.  When the river was straightened it lost much of the life that had once thrived there.  The impact downstream had been more destructive and less lifegiving.  Now with its wiggle back, life was returning to the river and it was causing less destruction downstream.   Whilst all of this was good the bit that stood out the most to me was the statement “”Nature needs chaos, it needs randomness,” says Lee Schofield from the RSPB.”[1]

As I reflected on this stretch of river, I wondered about the phrase chaos and randomness.  It challenged my concept of God in relation to chaos.  Years of teaching had shown me a God who brought peace rather than chaos, a God who is not random and that nature being created by God would reflect this too.  That chaos is not life giving, but here in this simple sentence about nature I was being challenged to see a different type of chaos.  The chaos of this river was purposeful and not random, it was peaceful and not destructive, it was life giving and not consuming.  Did I have God’s chaos in my life? Where was God’s life-giving randomness in my life?

If I considered my day, week or month like this river, had I in my very busy life, removed the wiggles needed to create the kind of chaos that gives space for rest and shelter from the storms of life?  Had I placed controls in preventing the Holy Spirit to challenge, disrupt and breathe life into my walk with God?  Had I in my desire to avert the unexpected, ended up causing more damage?  The inefficient river, described as chaotic and random, was life giving and refreshing.   For those living nearby there is greater sense of peace and safety.  I think it’s time for me to re-wiggle, to purposely create space for God’s chaos and randomness.  To enjoy my inefficiencies.

The thought this week was written by Jen Hughes, Minister at West Mersea Free Church and one of our Newly Accredited Ministers that received their handshake at the BU assembly this year.

Image by David Mark from Pixabay

[1] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-65341994