Becoming Real: 40 Days with the Velveteen Rabbit

Day 21 – Friday after Third Sunday of Lent – 12th March2010

To Read:

“Can you hop on your hind legs?” asked the furry rabbit?

That was a dreadful question, for the Velveteen rabbit had no hind legs at all!  The back of him was made all in one piece, like a pincushion.  He sat still in the bracken, and hoped that the other rabbit wouldn’t notice.

“I don’t want to!” he said again.

But the wild rabbits have very sharp eyes.  And this one stretched out his neck and looked.

“He hasn’t got any hind legs” he called out.  “Fancy a rabbit without any hind legs” And he began to laugh.

“I have!” cried the little Rabbit.  “I have got hind legs!  I am sitting on them”

from The Velveteen Rabbit
by Margery Williams

To Reflect:

‘Fancy a rabbit without any hind legs’?  Fancy a Christian who does not understand the finer points of Christology? Imagine that – a churchgoer who is not committed to two hours of daily Bible reading and prayer?  What do you mean you can’t come along every night of this week to help out at the soup kitchen?

And so the ‘wild rabbits’ of our faith communities question those around them. We should not be too harsh on them. After all they may not have met a velveteen rabbit like us before or understand the heartache which comes with longing to do the ‘ordinary’ things their requests bring.  The ‘wild ones’ of the Christian faith can be a severe test to those of us who have been lovingly placed by God in the bracken of this world – whether they intended to become one or not!

When faced with the challenges brought to me by other people’s journey of faith I need to remember that God put me where I am now.  For this moment it is in this place that I must live out the love of God – no matter how much my hind legs itch!   Anything less would be unfaithfulness and demonstrate an unwillingness to be shaped by the One who made me.

During this Lent I have deliberately chosen to only listen to Gospel music when in my car – I spend a fair amount of each day going to and fro so these are important moments of time which I can give to God.  This has meant that I have become immersed once again in the grace drenched lyrics of Amy Grant.

One of her songs has this to say:

…..all I ever have to be is what You’ve made me
Any more or less would be a step out of Your plan
As You daily re-create me help me always keep in mind
That I only have to do what I can find
And all I ever have to be
All I have to be

All I ever have to be is what You’ve made me*

Tomorrow, next month, next year, the journey may change and the call grow in a different direction, but for now we have to learn the truth of the saying ‘Bloom where you are planted’.  This we will be able to do when we become secure in the knowledge that God knows us and has a special place and purpose for each of us.

To Pray:

God, you love me as your own child.
May I bend my life and will toward you
so that I might accept your teaching and guidance.
I am so grateful for your support in my life,
now and in the eternal life you are preparing for me.
I beg for your help and Spirit in my life today.

 

ALL I EVER HAVE TO BE -Amy Grant

When the weight of all my dreams
Is resting heavy on my head
And the thoughtful words of help and hope
Have all been nicely said
But I’m still hurting, wondering if I’ll ever be the one
I think I am–I think I am.
Then you gently re-remind me
That You’ve made me from the first
And the more I try to be the best
The more I get the worst.
And I realize the good in me is only there
because of who You are,
who You are.
And all I ever have to be is what
You’ve made me
Any more or less would be a step out of Your plan
As you daily recreate me help me always keep in mind
That I only have to do what I can find
And all I ever have to be
All I have to be
All I ever have to be is what You’ve made me

© Andrew Dotchin – 2018