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.