Countless discussions these days about going to church….. why bother?

So many war stories… let me show you my scars….. can’t trust anyone.. anyway I’d rather be doing something else….. We can all fill in the blanks…..

Makes sense to me – the hesitancy and the avoidance behaviour…. if church is merely a building and a meeting, if church is diminished to one person up front talking, if church is two hours once a week…..

Church is a waste of everyone’s time if it’s not about gathering together to encounter the love and presence of a living God. Christianity is not meant to be a no-contact lifestyle…. seems to me the Jesus I meet is constantly hands on, in the thick of life and totally unafraid of sin or messiness, hates religion and theory, loves people, actually has an opinion on life, and demonstrates the real love of the Father by undoing what satan has done in people’s lives, spirits, and bodies. Oh I realize even writing that last statement will cause some to shake heads….

I think there are many people who are weary of words…. self-help, indoctrination…. courses, and a thousand hurdles down the road to spiritual fulfilment.

What if the simplicity of it all is that God loves you and me passionately and unconditionally…. and church is a community where very imperfect people hang out to learn how to enter into that place of faith, hope, and joy…. peace, love, surrender…. unselfishness, freedom from anger, healing of disease, strength to believe what is not yet visible?

What if Jesus is the way, the truth and the life who reveals the Father… and it all revolves around open hearts and authentic relationship…. It’s not about how bad you are or indifferent…. it’s about how real he is and how much he delights in you and longs to walk alongside….

What if he was a potter and you were the clay…. and the designs he has to release in you would totally blow you away….. Our circumstances and community, friends, family, church…. are the fingers he uses to do the molding….. Allow him to place his hands on the wheel and see what happens….  let’s open our hearts and encounter the strength, love and skill of his hands on our lives. When you’ve experienced that touch….. nothing else will measure up….

Think about that as you watch the skill of this potter at work…. and imagine God the Father with his hands on you…. 🙂 Only his task is even more challenging…. the clay keeps moving, often doesn’t even show up on the wheel…. Gotta’ laugh, or cry…. if only we knew….. Enjoy….