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Well, now what? Ever say that when you have come up against a roadblock in your daily path? I have, and I did last night. Let me explain.....
For the last couple months something has been nagging at me (no, not Terry) and I have not been able to put my finger on it. I thought and prayed and prayed and thought to no avail. I even found myself lying awake while Terry was in Rio Bravo, trying to collect my thoughts.....
Finally ----!!! It came to me Sunday during the Men's Class in the Man Cave. I was sitting there during our fellowship time and happened to just look down at the feet of some of the guys. What's this?!? Sneakers.... and.. and.. and sandals.... and boots????? In CHURCH?!?!? What were they thinking? Didn't they realize when they were getting ready that people would look at them and see how...
And I stopped.
"Judge not lest ye be judged.." "Don't try to remove the speck in your brother's eye while ignoring the plank in yours..."
These things slammed into me like a ton of bricks. I was not real proud of myself at that moment. And until last night, I kind wallowed in my own self pity. What was I thinking? Why would these thoughts bother me so much??? God? What are you teaching me??
Then it happened.
I was in the living room doing what I normally do when every one else is in bed, which means I had a book in one hand and the remote in the other. I stopped the TV on a commercial I liked and sat the remote down to read a few pages when it happened. I heard that voice that I can't decide if I like or dislike. Joyce Meyer. Honestly, there are times when I hear her and I disagree with my every fiber what she is saying. But last night was not one of those times....
She was teaching from Matthew when Jesus was on the way to Caperneum. Along the way, he was stopped by a leper. Jesus healed this man whom most people at that time would throw stones at. Then he was stopped by a Roman Centurion, who asked Jesus to heal has servant's son. He did. For a man whose leaders had conquered the Jews. Then when he FINALLY gets where he is going, there is another sick one, and yes, Jesus heals her, too.
Joyce said that Jesus took the time to do this because He had been sent to help a world that was hurting, and these people were hurting.
Now, we live in a world that is so much pain. There are people who need that healing. And that is the purpose we are called. Ask the Mission team....
Now comes the hard part. Do I act on what God is telling me? Or do I ignore it because I might step on some toes? Well. Now what....?
Well, here goes....
We reach out to the people around us. In our neighborhoods, or city, or schools, or jobs. We tell them we love them and want to help. We invite them to church. We make them feel welcome. But what if they are different? What if they aren't as smart as us? What if they have a beat up old car sitting next to ours on the parking lot? What if they don't have a steady job? What if the smell a little bit different? Or don't have as many teeth? And maybe have a few more earrings and some tattoos? Don't "they" know that this is a church? But....... aren't these the ones that we should be reaching? Aren't they hurting, too? Aren't these Jesus' "least of these"?
Joyce then made two statements that floored me.
1) Don't pray for revival if you aren't ready for it. It's gonna happen.
2) We need to stop being so "religious" and start being more "Godly".
What about you? Are you ready for revival? Do you know of anyone we have reached out to that was hurting? Did we really expect them to want to fit in at Faith? Were they different? Did they have an old clunker? Did they not have as nice of clothes? Did they have earrings or tattoos? Are they still coming to church? Or did we not expect that revival.......
I know a few..... Do you?
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