Background to the "Musings" books

Jesus had a remarkable gift for expressing big ideas in very few words. For example, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation” (Mark 16.15). It takes under five seconds to say, yet its almost limitless demands are practically impossible to achieve fully. How can we, as individuals, subject to the constraints of time, space and resources, possibly embrace this commandment from our Lord?

Of course each of us can “only do what we can do” but if we at least try as individuals, in our various and several ways then, collectively and cumulatively, the impact of our attempts can indeed be far reaching.

Thus far my logic had reached but I couldn’t see how I, personally, was to approach the two aspects of Jesus’ direction: proclaiming the Word and it reaching beyond my immediate circle. Not being an ordained minister my ability to preach was, rightly, restricted although on the few occasions where I was invited to address a congregation I ensured the talk was recorded and uploaded to the internet for wider consumption.

Working for the Diocese of Rochester and others in a legal office might appear to restrict any ability to play my part but then I realised that my interest in the written word could be mobilised. Living in a rural environment but also travelling on diocesan business or for pleasure to different locations, I decided to try and capture what I was encountering and to look beyond the obvious to see the hand of God at work.

Thus I began writing an article each week on my doings. Sometimes that proved challenging but somehow I always managed it and reflections on faith always arose from these vignettes. I hoped to be entertaining and informative, to provoke the mind, stir the imagination and, of course, spread the word.

Having now published these “musings”, I am delighted to see them reach a wider audience. One of the glories of books is that they can end up anywhere in the hands of anyone and this, I think, is what Jesus meant by “all creation”.

© Richard Farquharson, Maulden, Bedfordshire October 2015