OUR LOCAL BISHOP invites his clergy to a Quiet Day once a year. Foxhill looked fabulous as it always does in the Spring, banks of daffodils and cloud formations specially provided for painters and photographers. And some input from Bishop Robert – this year in the form of two good addresses on The Sign of Jonah. I took notes and will doubtless mull over them further. All good stuff then.

But even before lunch it happened. Having quoted from Psalm 139 the bishop suggested that some of us might like to toddle off after the talk and have a go at writing our own psalm. He gave us a few clues about the Hebrew way of writing parallel sentences, each saying the same thing, and not worrying too much about rhyme – because they didn’t.

So I hot-footed it off to a quiet room, settled myself in one of those wonderful wing armchairs, all fired up with enthusiasm for my new psalm, and went fast asleep until midday prayers. Good job there’ll be time after lunch, I thought. But that was it. I thought, and only thought, and fell fast asleep again, in the same chair, until it was time for the closing Eucharist.  And I’m fairly confident I won’t have much difficulty getting off to sleep tonight, either. Anyway, that’s how it came about that I only got round to my new psalm verses after I got back to Bramhall this evening:

1 O LORD thou hast searched me out: verily Lord thou hast set thyself to call upon me.

2 And I regret, O Lord, and am mindful: I regret, O Lord,  that thou didst find me asleep!

3 Yet even unto thee, O Lord, I address the question: I ask of thee, great God of my life, didst thou find me asleep, or didst thou lead me to sleep?

4 I sat me down and fell asleep: I breathed softly like a child in the arms of its mother.

5 I awoke in a green pasture of provision and a Quiet Day: and awake I bless thee for that thou leadest me still in the paths of safekeeping and peace.

Glory to you, O Lord.

Was I naughty to fall asleep in the armchair, or was I supposed to fall asleep whilst writing my psalm? Was I supposed to argue the toss with God about ministry and Nineveh, or was it OK just to let him lead me by the arm? A preparation prayer we use in Bramhall comes now to mind: “Calm me, Lord, as you calmed the storm. Still me, Lord, keep me from harm. Let all the storms within me cease; enfold me, Lord, in your peace” …