Just a week ago Leigh-Ann and I were looking forward to a week end off from our hectic life in Johannesburg, but we were really not sure where to go. I love to leave things open, she needs to have them planned well in advance. Being the loving person she is, I usually get my way when it comes to holidays and week-ends away. Mainly because if I don't, I have the tendency to make the entire event unpleasant for everyone.
However, we were still undecided until two days before we were due to leave. A colleague I worked with in Grahamstown, who now lives in White River (near Nelspruit in Mpumalanga), phoned to invite us for the week end. An answer to prayer I thought. Little was I to know just how much!
After an interesting trip and formal re-uniting with our friends, we relaxed and enjoyed the sights and sounds of the “slow-veld.” We also spent time in deep and heavy theological discussion, particularly around the church and its mission.
Finally, Sunday evening eased in and our hosts informed us that they had invited friends over for a braai (barbeque for those not South African). At first I felt slightly irritated at the “intrusion”, but after ten minutes we began to share on the merits of rural living versus city life.
Slowly it dawned on me that for two weeks prior to our departure, the Lord had been challenging me about the ‘unchurched.’ It seems that we (the church) are very good at looking after those familiar with church and all its many facets. But the Lord said to me: John, what about those who are unfamiliar with my church?
In truth, all I wanted to do was relax in good company and not think too much. Well here was a couple who had little experience of church or God. So suddenly in the conversation God led me to convey the message, in ‘normal’ conversation, that He loves everyone including those who don’t know him. In fact He loved me long before I knew Him. I now realise that church is important but never more important than a personal relationship with God through His Son Jesus Christ.
Do you realise that God loves you? You may know it already which is wonderful and now God wants you to tell others about Him or perhaps you are afraid or disillusioned by church, which can seem complicated and cold.
Know this: God is warm and loving and wants a relationship with you: He wants to tell you that He loves you and hear you say you love Him too.
If this is where you are now, here are two easy steps to change your life: (1) go to our webpage (www.northrandmeth.org.za) and click on our link “Tell me about Jesus” and pray the sinners’ prayer and (2) find yourself a church near where you live. Trust God to show you and help you to come to know a loving caring family. Give it some time, the more you attend, the more familiar you’ll become with all its facets and like our week end away, you will receive more than you ever imagined.
However, we were still undecided until two days before we were due to leave. A colleague I worked with in Grahamstown, who now lives in White River (near Nelspruit in Mpumalanga), phoned to invite us for the week end. An answer to prayer I thought. Little was I to know just how much!
After an interesting trip and formal re-uniting with our friends, we relaxed and enjoyed the sights and sounds of the “slow-veld.” We also spent time in deep and heavy theological discussion, particularly around the church and its mission.
Finally, Sunday evening eased in and our hosts informed us that they had invited friends over for a braai (barbeque for those not South African). At first I felt slightly irritated at the “intrusion”, but after ten minutes we began to share on the merits of rural living versus city life.
Slowly it dawned on me that for two weeks prior to our departure, the Lord had been challenging me about the ‘unchurched.’ It seems that we (the church) are very good at looking after those familiar with church and all its many facets. But the Lord said to me: John, what about those who are unfamiliar with my church?
In truth, all I wanted to do was relax in good company and not think too much. Well here was a couple who had little experience of church or God. So suddenly in the conversation God led me to convey the message, in ‘normal’ conversation, that He loves everyone including those who don’t know him. In fact He loved me long before I knew Him. I now realise that church is important but never more important than a personal relationship with God through His Son Jesus Christ.
Do you realise that God loves you? You may know it already which is wonderful and now God wants you to tell others about Him or perhaps you are afraid or disillusioned by church, which can seem complicated and cold.
Know this: God is warm and loving and wants a relationship with you: He wants to tell you that He loves you and hear you say you love Him too.
If this is where you are now, here are two easy steps to change your life: (1) go to our webpage (www.northrandmeth.org.za) and click on our link “Tell me about Jesus” and pray the sinners’ prayer and (2) find yourself a church near where you live. Trust God to show you and help you to come to know a loving caring family. Give it some time, the more you attend, the more familiar you’ll become with all its facets and like our week end away, you will receive more than you ever imagined.
5 comments:
True!
Imagine walking in somewhere where they wanted to wash you with blood - you'd run a mile!
Yet we happily stand up and preach about 'washed in the blood of Jesus'. It may be theologically true, but how freaky to a first time visitor!
Go John!
Grant H
thanks grant. the whole idea of sacrifice may be understood as 'barbaric' etc to those of us who live in today's modern 'civilsed society.' i would imagine that a modern day Jesus may have had to find another way of connecting but the atonement for sin is inseperable from His purpose.
my focus is not on the act of sacrifice but the intention - to show me how much God loves me(and everyone else.) johnB
Amen - this is the gap that the church has to bridge. I think sometimes we are so used the grace that Jesus has brought into our society, that we forget that the law and justice still stand - we're just on the forgiven side.
Finding the way to explain atonement (another long theological word) is the trick. Running devotions at a school assembly has provided some interesting challenges.
Grant H
Sometimes we get so involved with daily living and our duties at church that we forget why we are all really going to church to begin with and that is to worship our Lord and saviour. I woke up one morning thinking where is God, where did he go, what went wrong? I'm talking to him, calling upon him but I didn't receive an answer. I couldn't connect, I felt empty inside. I didn't know why. I go to church every week, I am involved, I do more then is expected of me so why was I feeling so alone? I then had to take a step back from my church duties and couldn't go as often to church as I would have liked to and I was very concerned about this, I thought I would be lost and have even less contact with the Lord I didn't know how I would survive without Him, but something amazing happened. The moment I took a step back from all the rush and the crazyness I got myself involved in, I could hear his voice again, I could feel his presence I refocused and He was there all along but I realized then what the problem was. I didn't worship the Lord anymore I worshiped the idea of worshiping God, I worshiped the excitement Sunday mornings brought to me. I worshiped the feeling of being part of it all. So the lesson is we are all there to worship our Lord and Saviour don't loose focus, He is the reason were all gather together on a Sunday, not because we have tea duty or we have to sing in the worhship team no we go there to say Hello Lord here I am Lord, this Sunday morning I come to say Good Morning to You Lord and to feel your warmth and presence around me because I love You Lord!
too true. i think we can even get carried away with woshipping the church! this was never God's intention but it all (us) rest in our relationship with God through His Son Jesus Christ. he is the head of the church and has given it the comission to proclaim His love and to live it out. what an awesome privilage!!!! are you living your call? if not then today is the day....
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