Ruth and I were recently in south west France. We stayed in an area where many of the villages are “bastides” – fortified communities from the 13th century. These villages are truly beautiful in many ways. Certainly they are quaint. They stand out above the surrounding countryside and draw in the traveller to take a closer look. Monflanquin, where we stayed, is typical.
Of course, once “inside”, the very best ones have been preserved by the judicious use of planning orders – and why not? They take you back centuries, they are a great attraction and provide a window into the past. The bastide of Pujols is one of the very best preserved, and is often used as a film set in its own right.I have found Jesus to be like one of these bastides.He provides for me a place of great security where nothing changes, where I know that I always find Him the same through all my yesterdays,in my today and, by faith forever. Maybe this strikes a chord with you too?
The great thing is that, with all this changelessness, I don't think that God has slapped a preservation order on me! Rather, He has made me like the wide open beach at Hourtin Plage.
We would travel hours to enjoy it again – we did only a few weeks ago! It too has a timeless quality for us. But let’s not kid ourselves, the ocean is powerful and never stops changing this great sweep of coast. One of Hourtin’s great attractions for Ruth is the power of the ocean as it strikes open beach.Safe inside the bastide of Jesus, my sense of things is that He has called us to be like a wide open stretch of coast – constantly in change as the ocean rolls up and back. Sometimes the change is slow and almost imperceptible and may give rise to a sense of stability. Like me,you may even grow impatient for change. Sometimes the ocean is a wild ride. It feels like a battering and the change can be drastic. But that is how it is when you are called to be a stretch of wild attractive coastline in God’s plan. You will continue to draw people – some for vacation, some to take up residence. They will come because you offer a terrific place in the sun, but some will come for the hidden wonders – the wide sky, the sense of solitude in other seasons, the rich flora and fauna of the dunes (which are them-selves constantly in a state of flux.)
I just had a "Welcome to 60" party - thanks Ruth, thanks family, thanks friends! I think that I still have to enjoy the safety and security of the bastide. I think that I still have some time to revel in the excitement of what the years ahead will bring as the ocean cycles its tides and the seasons work their changes and continue to draw the crowds.
As our grand daughter often says, "How about you?"
