Birdsong in the City Centre

I took an early morning walk through Sheffield city centre this week, at 7am, praying for us all as part of our Furnace 24/7 Week. It was an eerie scene. Most of the shops and offices are closed anyway, a handful of construction workers were already busy bringing new creation amongst the old. Occasionally a bus roared past me empty. But most striking was the quiet, which isn’t my usual experience of a city centre.

I stopped by the empty Peace Gardens and I heard new sounds. Loud bird song from a bunch of happy sparrows and goldfinches in the trees, and to my surprise the cry of a seagull.

It was an altogether unfamiliar experience. As I waited I began to see things in a new way. I noticed the intricate stonework of some of the oldest buildings. I realised that, in normal times, pretty much every premises is run with a purpose to make money from me. The only buildings seeking to serve the city and give something back, or give something away for free, are the Town Hall and the churches. I prayed for renewed prosperity of heart and enterprise for our city.

I suddenly had a flood of new perspectives on familiar surroundings. I wonder if that’s the same for you, during this time of stay-at-home slowdown?

I’m a follower of Jesus, and I love his wisdom on getting the right perspective:

“So I tell you, don’t worry about the things you need to live—what you will eat, drink, or wear. Life is more important than food, and the body is more important than what you put on it. Look at the birds. They don’t plant, harvest, or save food in barns, but your heavenly Father feeds them. Don’t you know you are worth much more than they are? You cannot add any time to your life by worrying about it….What you should want most is God’s kingdom and doing what he wants you to do. Then he will give you all these other things you need.” (Matthew 6) 

Let’s take this opportunity not to worry but to invest in what matters most, for everyday life and eternity.