A well-watered garden - A reflection on the anniversary of the Open Table Chester community
THIS MONTH the Open Table Chester community celebrated three years of meeting at Wesley Church Centre in the city.
A regular supporter who could not be there created this beautiful floral arrangement for the occasion, inspired by God's words to the Old Testament prophet Jeremiah about God’s chosen people.
‘I will lead them besides streams of water
on a level path where they will not stumble
because I am Israel’s father
and Ephraim is my firstborn son
Hear the word of the Lord, O nations;
proclaim it in distant coastlands:
He who scattered Israel will gather them
and will watch over his flock like a shepherd.
For the Lord will ransom Jacob
and redeem them,
They will come and shout for joy on the heights of Zion;
they will rejoice In the bounty of the Lord,
the grain, the new wine and the oil,
the young of the flocks and herds
They will be like a well-watered garden,
and they will sorrow no more.
Then maidens will dance and be glad,
young men and old as well.
I will turn their mourning into gladness;
I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow,
I will satisfy the priests with abundance
and my people will be filled with my bounty’, declares the Lord.
Jeremiah 31:9b-14 (New International Version)