Thought for the Week - 30/5/2021

Dear Friends, 

You will likely have heard this week of the death of Eric Carle, the American author who is famous for his children’s book of just 224 words, The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Published in 1969 in has sold more than 50 million copies worldwide, has been translated into 62 languages, and was originally called A Week with Willi Worm. Carle said that he, his editor and his publisher didn’t know the reason why The Very Hungry Caterpillar was so popular, but says, ‘over time, I've come to feel that it is a book of hope. And it is this hopeful feeling that has made it a book readers of all ages enjoy and remember.’ The sign of hope in the story is one of transformation. That the caterpillar having enjoyed his munching of various foods including, pears, plums, salami, Swiss cheese, watermelon, and a nice juicy green leaf, wraps himself in a cocoon and after a couple of weeks nibbles a hole in the cocoon, pushes himself out and he has transformed into a beautiful butterfly. God is in the business of transformation, transforming us from our old self into new creations. The apostle Paul writing to the believers at Corinth says, ‘Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation’ (2 Corinthians 5:17-19). Just like the very hungry caterpillar who is transformed outwardly, we as followers of Jesus are transformed by the Holy Spirit inside, giving us new life. We are not the same anymore, we are re-created – a new creation – living in union with Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. Just as the caterpillar chomped his way through a leaf, we are not just turning over a new leaf in our lives, we are beginning a new life under new management – following the Lord’s leading, being rooted, built up and strengthened in our faith.  

Grace and peace,

Neil

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