The Reed of God

Greetings from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, where I just arrived after being in Kenya for two weeks.  God is good!

In 2005, my late husband, Robert Allen Reed, started a family blog for friends and family when we moved to Liberia.  He called it "Reeds in Liberia."

When we moved to Ghana in 2009, he recognized that we may be moving more often, as God would lead, and so he started a new blog, which he called "Reeds in the Wind."  This is what he wrote about the reason for this name (and this write-up is still on the blog today):

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A "REED IN THE WIND?"

From Henri Nouwen, Bread for the Journey:  The Virtue of Flexibility

Trees look strong compared with the wild reeds in the field. But when the storm comes the trees are uprooted, whereas the wild reeds, while moved back and forth by the wind, remain rooted and are standing up again when the storm has calmed down.

Flexibility is a great virtue. When we cling to our own positions and are not willing to let our hearts be moved back and forth a little by the ideas or actions of others, we may easily be broken. Being like wild reeds does not mean being wishy-washy. It means moving a little with the winds of the time while remaining solidly anchored in the ground. A humorless, intense, opinionated rigidity about current issues might cause these issues to break our spirits and make us bitter people. Let's be flexible while being deeply rooted.

PAYING ATTENTION TO THE WIND

"The wind blows where it wills." That was Jesus, who compared the spirit of God to the wind. The Reeds have followed the Wind from Grand Rapids, Michigan to Monrovia, Liberia, to Accra, Ghana...

This phrase "Reeds in the Wind" has had a great deal of meaning to us, especially after losing Bob, and continuing the adventure of following Jesus through wind and storms, seeking to be flexible while being deeply rooted.

But on my recent silent retreat, I ran into a book called The Reed of God by Caryll Houselander, written in 1944.  Caryll Houselander was a single Catholic "laywoman" who struggled with poverty.  The title caught my attention, not to mention the fact I was staying in a little hut in the woods that was named for the author.  I thought I should give it a read.  And I was delightfully surprised by what I found.  And, of course, I was surprised by what I hadn't yet considered (a life truth that will continue until I die, I suspect!).

While the common reed does good for ecosystems in wet areas, it also has the capacity to be used in other ways as well.  We know of the use of reeds in musical instruments, but they are also used for thatching, construction, arrows, baskets, beds, boats, and more.  The book asks if we are "reed pipes that God is waiting to live lyrically through, not in doing "spiritual work" (which many of us define as doing pious exercises) but through my work, my cleaning, my caring for children, my cooking, and all the duties and responsibilities I have."  It is through our ordinary life, every hour of every day, that union with God comes about.

Now you know why I like this book.  I'm beginning to look at the world differently.  Every object I see reminds me of the countless people who had a hand in bringing that object to fruition, and every object then declares the glory of God.  Human beings, made in His image, going about their business, solving problems and working, but many are yet unaware that they do this because they are made in the image of a working, creative God.  It makes me shake my head in wonder while rejoicing at the same time.  

A reed is the simplest of things, but it must be cut by a sharp knife to be shaped into something that can be used for the Shepherd's song.  A little reed can utter infinite music.  

And so it is with us.  Every person has that capacity.  And I believe every person needs to understand their capacity and their purpose.  The flexibility that is needed is not just for standing firm in the water, although that may be our call.  It also needs to be in the cutting down and shaping, for a different use, a different call that also brings glory to the Father.

I wonder about starting a new blog called A Reed for God but it is difficult to move away from something started by my late husband and co-laborer in the field many years ago.  For now, I believe that there is a new chapter of sorts that is starting in me, at this time in my life, as I learn what it means to be a reed for God in every sense of the word.

There are many exciting things happening in the work in Tanzania and we covet your prayers!  God is at work in the hearts of many to recognize the importance of work as worship!

George, with G Natural Honey in Dar es Salaam, has seen great growth in his business since taking DML classes!  Not only is he selling honey for consumption but also soap made of honey, cucumber and carrot!  

This is the message he sent after we visited his store:  "Thanks DML team for visitation to our office...your teachings brought us to this level."  Gnaturalhoney