I was walking on our wonderful common recently with my 3 dogs – one of whom is quite slow now having reached 13 and a half; so I’m walking a bit slower. I have been taking the opportunity to notice more of what is around me and take some photos. One day I was observing the trees and the branches reaching far, and that saying came to me: ‘out on a limb.’
If you look it up in a dictionary (or the internet) then you read: “If you were ‘out on a limb’ you would be in a precarious position, a weak or risky situation, vulnerable; isolated, stranded, segregated, set apart, cut off.” None of us would choose to be in this position – but, sometimes circumstances call for it.More
Sometimes in life circumstances cause us to need to go ‘out on a limb’ – maybe to speak out over an injustice, to say something kind to someone just because they need to hear it, to make that phone call we feel prompted to make, or to come out of the closet, so to speak, about our deepest beliefs.
Some might say faith – our faith in God – is a personal, private thing, and that’s true, but faith isn’t meant to be only personal and private. The benefits faith gives us are things we are to share, when we are comforted we are to comfort others – with the love God shows us we are to love others. Sometimes we’re prompted to go ‘out on a limb’ to express or share what we believe.
In other parts of the world people are being persecuted or even killed for doing such a thing. Even if it has led them simply to show love and kindness to others. We, thankfully, are free to speak about what we believe and to express a care for others inspired by faith.
If you take a walk through the beautiful trees and ferns, or take a stroll beside the ponds we are so blessed to live alongside, I wonder if a saying, a thought or a moment of inspiration will come to you. Nature has a way of ‘speaking’ to us, refreshing us and enhancing our wellbeing. You can borrow my prayer below if you want!
God of the hills, give us strength.
God of the skies, restore in us light and joy.
God of the deep oceans, fill us with deep peace.
God of all earth, enfold us in love. AMEN.
