Saturday morning dawned and off we went to Stratford upon Avon, a medieval town dating from its official charter in 1196. It is close to the Cotswolds and, when it was the major sheep producing area, Stratford was one of the main towns for processing, marketing and distribution of sheep and wool. Its smaller Roman Road connects the larger Fosse Way and lcknield Street. Chipping Camden is about 10 miles south from there, a place where the wool barons built their extensive and expensive homes. After parking the car on the outskirts I noticed brass squares about 200mm square left in the footpath. These stated that one was approaching blue diamonds as markers inscribed on the concrete pathway pointing to the information centre. Follow the blue smudges and you would get there. So I did, and arrived at the main thoroughfare or shopping-centre. It was relatively early but the shoppers were many, and with added visitors we were glad it wasn’t summer!
As I stood at the traffic lights I looked left and saw a public house on a corner of two streets called Encore and dated 1605, and from its construction and shape it looked in pretty good condition although it was clear that it has had its roof replaced, for most roofs last as long as the nails – about 90 years. The clay tiles also laminate with repeated soaking and freezing. However for 800 years this town had withstood the seasons and the wear of humanity, and is still vibrant and loved. It is one of the greatest holiday attractions in Britain, and justly so, for it is the birthplace of William Shakespeare, who is reckoned by many as the world’s greatest playwright; not my favourite reading as a schoolboy! In 1769 David Garrick was responsible for the first real Shakespearian Theatre as a celebration to mark Shakespeare’s birthday, but it was almost washed away in two days by torrential rain.
Pamela and I had come not to delve into history but to collect a dress from a shop in Sheep Street. Sheep Street was the residential quarter of town in the 16th century and was rebuilt after the great fire in 1595, although No. 40 dates from 1480, about 300 years before the USA! No wonder Americans like visiting. But, as we walked it came to me that God is The Information Centre of the universe, and He has left blue smudges [Bible texts] in the pathways of life to the questions we pose. Mankind needs direction on how to live and who better than their creator. The Bible clearly says “Remember now thy creator in the days of thy youth” and live good for the rest of your life. Get to the Information Centre as soon as your can. Follow the blue diamonds diligently and you will never get lost.
About two years ago my front door bell rang and there stood two representatives of a political party. They introduced themselves, she was a doctor of medicine and he a doctor of history, and they said to me and “you are Dr Carr, what is you discipline?” I replied “Theology” and they stopped in their tracks not knowing what to say. I continued “your leader rewrote the Bible in his own image, thus: ‘a man or woman shall leave their parents and he shall cleave to his husband and she to her wife and twain they shall be sterile.’ ” They looked at me dumbfounded, not knowing what to say, I smiled and closed the door. It is clear they had ignored the Information Centre. They were going in the wrong direction, when it comes to morality and money the Bible always has the blue diamonds.
Blue diamonds do actually exist but contain impurities, hence their colour, but are very expensive and rarely seen in shops today. I think God’s word is as expensive as that, but contains no impurities, it is precious beyond words. “The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.” [Ps 12:6]. It is so sad that mankind misses that fact, and will read anything and everything except God’s word. Sometimes information centres are stumped but not God’s word, there are words for all seasons and all occasions.
Use the Bible as your jewel box, it is rewarding and is rich with a wealth of wisdom. Here’s one jewel that should strike solemnity into our hearts: [2 Peter 3:5-7]. Read it slowly and ponder. Let all the facets illumine your inner eyes.
