He was busy, I could see that. Huge coils of chain were on the floor either side of him and hefty cast iron, as thick as my wrist formed link after link. He was passing it through His hands and inspecting every section of this enormous chain, at close range. He peered at each link and constantly pulled the chain with His hands to see if it would give way. It dripped with the water it had been retrieved from, leaving pools all over the floor. Behind him were closed curtains which seemed to be drawn on a hive of activity producing a clattering, industrious racket. I was hesitant but too curious to just watch, ‘What are you doing?’ I asked bluntly.
‘The chains of the apostolic…’ He continued His inspection, ‘I am holding the chains of the apostolic in my hands…the entire length is to run through my hands. Each link is vital and to be strengthened to hold and not give way.’
He yanked the iron but it held fast. Meanwhile, my heart missed a beat and I nervously jumped back from what He was sharing. I looked around hoping that this was for someone else’s benefit. My feet felt heavy like boulders as the memories of sights like this had ground me to a halt before now. It had seemed futile to be privy to such information when there was no-one to share it with and no knowing what to do about it. It had not occurred to me that maybe He also wished for someone to simply share with.
So for a few years I
decided to stop ‘looking’ so as not to ‘see’ such insights. It had taken months of tears to loosen and finally dislodge the grave cloth I had wrapped around my eyes. This was a risky moment when I dared to ‘peek’ once more.
…. And He just picked up where we had left off, as if I have been there all along… no softly, softly….give an inch and He takes a mile. My ‘preciousness’ did not even figure and then He starts on about the ‘Apostolic’ of all things, a subject of major debate that scholars have written reams on and here it is simply put in a nutshell.
Disconcerted, I boldly walked round Him and pushed back the curtain. The noise was deafening as massive machinery was hoisting reels of iron chain and running it through, line upon line to be wound and rewound on huge winches. I could smell the sea and overhead screeching seagulls added to the cacophony. Some chain was still being winched on board from the sea to add to the mighty collection being prepared.
It was a trawler ship. He always was at home when fishing… and this was getting ready for the haul of all hauls. The chains of the Apostolic were being aligned and every link was vital to hold fast.
This time rather than breaking my ‘link’ because of false responsibility, I held fast by watching and learning to enjoying the view. I realised I can simply line up with what He is already up to in this fun and ‘fishy’ place and not worry about ‘how’.
Like a child that has been promoted to the ‘play’ room or elevated to the ‘nursery’ with lots of amazing toys that the Creator has left lying around for me to trip over. I do not have to tidy up or try to be clever but enjoy the ride.