Trinity

Three in One and One in Three,
Just as you did say you’d be.
Father, Son and Holy Ghost,
And yet it doth confuse us most.

But it shouldn’t! As believers we know and accept that God is One and Three at the same time. God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. This is an element of faith, an element of belief. One of the wonderful mysteries of God.

As humans, however, we do like to both complicate and explain everything. We have a need to break down and solve such mysteries- indeed all mysteries.

I believe God has a huge sense of humour and enjoys our uncomfortableness of Trinity Sunday immensely as He watches and listens to us trying to explain Him in a language that can never give the wonder and miraculous nature of God its full credit. God loves our stories.

It happens to be one of my favourite Sundays. I love coming up with different ways of explaining The Trinity and I am under no allusion that I also fall short in this as my feeble metaphors and analogies are nothing when compared to God Himself. I love listening to others giving sermons on this subject and increasing in faith and understanding. Indeed, one of my favourite and most remembered sermons as a child listening to the church service was on Trinity Sunday. It involves a rope.

Trinity Sunday is celebrated by the Church of England after Pentecost. I have heard different theories as to why this is but the one I like best is, simply put, because we had to wait until after the Spirit was sent to us to stay to fully experience the full aspect of God the Three in One. And, of course, it is Pentecost at which this occurred, where the promises and prophecies of Jesus (and the Old Testament) that the Holy Spirit would be sent after His Ascension became fulfilled. And, therefore, it is a logical progression (to me) that we celebrate Ascension, Pentecost and then Trinity Sunday.

So why a rope?

Take one thread. It is strong, it will hold weight, but pull it with a little pressure and it will snap. It is only one part of a whole and without the other parts it cannot fulfill it’s whole potential. I have faith in this thread – I sew buttons on with it. But I would not use it to save my life if I were falling off a mountain!

Take two threads and bind them together. Now they are even stronger and will withstand more weight and pressure. Yet pull them hard enough and they will still snap. Still they are incomplete and whilst they are indeed strong enough to be functional and useful, I still would not use it if I was falling off that mountain!

But, take three and bind them together. Now you have a rope which I can trust with my life (see picture)! The strongest ropes are not made of one strand and they are one rope.

Three in One and One in Three.
You my God are Destiny.
Word and Voice and Breath of God
Just as in the prophecy.

Father, Son and Spirit: Infinite, eternal, unchangeable, full of wisdom, power, holiness, goodness, strength, truth and love!