A Kick at the Door and a Year For New Things

1.1.15. Our first visitor to Promise House yesterday didn’t knock at the door – they kicked it. At 8.00am we went out to find the reinforced glass lined with ugly cracks. (Promise House is the community house where I live with twelve others.) 

Perhaps this is not surprising because earlier, at 12.00am, after a beautiful meal cooked by our friends and singing worship songs around the bonfire, we were praying. We want a God-filled 2015; more than anything, perhaps, we want His presence among us – God to make His home - and feel at home - amongst us. Then anything can happen.  Someone, something didn’t like it.

It feels like the impetus is increasing and why not? Three more people have declared their intention to be baptised as soon as possible.  They bring their friends along. There’s a buzz of warmth, of friendship, cultural barriers are being crossed, hopefully broken down. Everyone is pulling together.

Indeed, the impression I have had on my mind is that of someone staggering with a bag full of fruit; it’s bursting in fact; they were grabbing the apples as they began to fall.  God is saying, ‘I am willing. Are you?'God is willing to bring us a harvest of the best fruit (people turning to Jesus, joining the church family.) The challenge is to us. The best place to begin in 2015 ... on our knees at 12.00am. In the closing seconds of the old year the words of the old hymn come to my mind, 'Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to the cross I cling'.

Empty we come, even empty of willingness at times. 'Find us, make us willing. Let our self-agenda be crucified and Christ be living in our hearts, our works matched with faith and prayer. Let none of this precious fruit fall to the ground.'

Not everyone agrees with me; our damaged door testifies to that. Something tells me, 2015 is going to be quite a year.

A Trip Back in Time: First Century Palestine

 21st century, 20th, 19th ... 4th,3rd, 2nd ...We’re turning back the clock now, and I’m paying  a lightning visit to first-century Palestine; I’ve come to visit an unusual grouping – well, that’s an understatement – an extraordinary, raggle-taggle collection of people - the disciple band of Jesus of Nazareth. They’re sleeping under the stars tonight and they’re a right mixed bunch; there’s even some women here, that’s unusual in these parts, well, unheard of actually. I’m intrigued ....

I can hear some snippets of conversation; there’s a few sparks flying, tempers ruffled, but one thing’s certain: listening to leader, Jesus of Nazareth, I can see, beyond doubt, he’s a man on a mission and He’s taking this motley crew with Him; I’m not sure if he can knock them into shape, he’s got quite a task on him hands but we’ll see. But he’s determined, that’s for sure: He’s telling them this mission they’re sharing is top priority, over-toppling all other priorities. “Bums off seats, guys and girls, are you ready to go?’ He says.

Jesus of Nazareth, you’ve certainly got an urgency about your mission and, I observe, it’s getting you into all sorts of scrapes, including death threats; what about that deranged guy you met the other day coming out of that graveyard? And all that silly nonsense about whether you should or shouldn’t be doing your ‘healing bit’ on the Sabbath day? Well, I guess that’s when tools, cooking pots etc. are put down and ordinary people have time to listen? I can’t understand what the fuss is about ...

Yes, I notice you make allowances for rest, prayer, instruction but then, it’s bums off seats again; you mean business. Why, why this urgency? Is time short?

Yes, time is short and how else could/can the ‘kingdom come’?  By tellin’ ‘em and showin’ ‘em of course! Our mission is to show people out there who God is, what’s He like, what He’s done and what He wants; we want to lead people to God. It also brings health to sick, lukewarm hearts and churches. Haven’t you noticed how the warmth and fire of God returns to the belly when one talks to people about Jesus and His kingdom?

Last week a young African came to our house and we invited him to study the Bible with us. Although not a practising Muslim, he comes from a Muslim family and, listening intently, he prayed out as we finished: ‘I’ve not been bought up this way; I’m a long way from ‘getting it’  but will You help me, God, find Your Way.”

What did that prayer do to me? I’m burning! I’m on fire. I’m excited, my heart’s swelling with joy – like just being born again, again.

You know what, I long for us to experience that urgent, pressing need, not to get our lives together and find what’s comfortable but to follow the great Missionary/missionaries whose priority is/was to take and show the good news of the King, the kingdom, to all and sundry – especially the needy and the poor.

“Bums off seats, go and do it, go and say it,” I hear Jesus tell His disciples.

 Fire of God, Spirit of Urgency, come down and fill our hearts again.