Ron’s Reflections

Thump.   Thump.   I have heard it regularly for awhile now.   About three weeks, I think.  That is how long a robin has been trying to get into the church.   Robin tries the office door, the stained glass windows by the office door, the west door by the bathrooms.   I don’t know why it wants in or why it has chosen our little church.   Maybe it is praising the creator it sees in the vivid color of the stained glass.  But Robin is consistent.   Rarely missing a day (and maybe it has never missed a day - I may just have not been around at the right time on some days.)

That has me to thinking.   If only us humans would desire to get in the church.  And not just the building, but the real church.  The church which seeks God, supports each other and serves the world.   If only we sought to get into church as much as Robin.

And then the lady.  A guest from out of town.  Dropped in one morning this week to ask if the church would be open that afternoon if she wanted to pray.  Around 3:30 pm she said.  I said I would try to remember to leave it open (our office hours are mornings), but if I forgot and a car was here then bang on the door.  At 3:15 she comes, prays for about 20 minutes and leaves.   She understood church!

She spoke with me briefly.   She had a parent at a nursing home in town.  She did not desire to share much but I gathered time was short for her loved one.   She just needed a place to pray.  Asked if she could return over the next few weeks.  Sure, anytime, come on in or bang the door if you see I am here.   If you are in town on Sunday we worship at 8:30 and 10:45 am.   Come and worship our Lord!

A bird and a lady.   One wanted in.   The other came in to pray.   They understand church.   A place to pray, praise, connect, heal, serve.  

Ron 

Here at Faith UMC we had a wonderful Easter worship and celebration.   At the start of Lent I asked the question, What if Easter was the end of the story.  (See prior blog.)   On Easter Sunday we came back to that question.

Of course, Easter was the beginning of a new story.  A story where God desired to come close to us, redeem us, and be in close and constant relationship with us.

We spoke how that was of significant benefit for us in two ways.  First, and the one many Christians point to first, is eternal salvation.    Being with God in eternity.

But we too often in modern times forget the second.  Christ wants to help us today!   In this life!   Accepting Christ is not just ticket to heaven, God desires to help us in real ways in this life.

If we will include God in our lives God will give us the strength and courage to face anything that comes up in our life.   And if we but look around our lives and the lives of those around us, we can see God still at work in today’s world.   Miracles big and small.    Coincidents that are really Godincidents.    We often don’t notice God’s activity in this world because we do not look, with eyes to see.

Watch!   Look around!   Notice what God is doing in the lives of ordinary Christians, and also seekers, and even atheists.    Lives are saved from illness or death.   Relationships are healed or at least improved.  The hungry are fed.   The unemployed find opportunities.    The weak are strengthed.   Those in grief or emotional pain are comforted.   The list goes on.  God still acts!

Those seeking, find.   Take some time.   Time to look.  Time to pray (communicate with God.)   Time to listen for that still small voice.   Time for Christ and Christ’s Spirit to work in you.

The graces, gifts, of God are all around.   Will you accept the gift?

Ron