[This reflection was published in the weekly news bulletin of Horley Baptist Church, 04/Oct/2020]
I was having a conversation with someone a few weeks ago. The discussion drifted to things about church. It transpired that in childhood, she had really enjoyed going to Sunday school. Many years later, she took her daughter along to the local church, but found it very cold and unwelcoming. They didn’t attend much longer after that.
It set me thinking about what other people’s reasons for disengaging with the church are. How many people have we inadvertently pushed away?
10 commandments were given to the Jews by Moses. By the time Jesus came, they had increased them to over 600 rules. He spent a lot of time admonishing the Scribes and Pharisees for making it difficult for people to get to know God.
Jesus opens His arms and welcomes all who come to him. He says in John 6 verse 37 that “All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away”.
We, however, seem to find ways to make it difficult for people to come to Him. We seem to prefer that people earn the right to know Him by conforming to a pattern that we determine, forgetting that Christ accepts us just as we are. Paul puts it like this in Romans 5 verse 8 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
We have just finished a sermon series on Jonah and I know that I, like Jonah, have sometimes felt that there were some not quite as deserving of God’s grace. Perhaps because of the way they were dressed, the way they looked, the way they…… well, sometimes for no good reason at all.
It brings to mind a poem told to me by a patient many years ago:
I dreamt that death came to me the other night, heaven’s gate swung open wide. An angel with halo bright, ushered me inside. And there to my astonishment stood people whom I had judged and labelled as quite unfit and spiritually disabled. Harsh words rose through my lips, but never were set free, for much to my surprise, no one it seemed, expected me.
With the challenges and restrictions because of the coronavirus, people are struggling in various ways and need to know Jesus’ love and the peace and comfort He gives. Jesus came to build a bridge between us and God, not to widen the chasm.
Let us emulate him. Let’s build bridges and welcome others with open arms. Let us pray for His grace to do help us do this.
~~~~~~~~
.
Return to weekly Reflections
Jump to Index of Bible Passages
Contributed by David Makanjuola; © the Author
