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A student survey conducted at one of our local schools determined that young people see the church as being full of old people and pews. And they think that the pews have to go. There’s some good news in that survey, they didn’t say the old people should go, only the pews.
Think for a moment: How does their perception match reality?
We might immediately begin to defend the pews. They've been good enough for generations. They keep us awake. They haven’t killed anyone.
Or we might be offended that they’ve labelled us as old. We might argue that we’re not nearly as old as our grandparents were at the same age.
We might want to join James and John to ask Jesus whether we should call down fire from heaven and destroy them.
But before we get too defensive, these young people are crying out for the church to recognise and value them. They don’t think the church cares about them, they don’t think we care. They think the church is only interested in the people who’re already involved, which to them means old people.
I wonder whether they’re any different to those of any age who aren’t connected to our churches. Would the whole ‘unchurched’ and 'previously-churched’ community agree that we don’t care. Would they contend that we’re only interested in ourselves.
If we’re so busy polishing and defending our pews then they have to go. If there’s anything in our church that uses up our time at the expense of living our lives for Jesus then it has to go.
Even more urgently we have to go. Not leave the church, the community of God’s people, but go with the good news that because God loves and cares for every single person in this world so do we.
“As you go”, Jesus says, “make disciples of all nations.” Jesus cares about this because he has ‘skin-in-the-game’. He died for each and every one we encounter as we go about our lives.
How do we, as individuals and a church, need to change so that no one in our community will feel that we don’t care about them?
God Delights in You 13th Day in Lent
Read: Zephaniah 3:14-17, 20 “The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17 (NIV)
On one occasion, a pastor asked one of his parishioners: “Do you believe in the hereafter?” The parishioner replied: “You bet I do. I often go in a room and say, ‘What am I here after?’” Above the massive front doors of a cathedral these words were inscribed: THE GATE OF HEAVEN. Below was a small sign, which read: PLEASE USE OTHER ENTRANCE. If we were honest with ourselves and each other, we would say that we hope one day to be with God in Heaven. Why do we use this word ‘hope’? Isn’t this a certainty? Haven’t we been told that “Those who believe and are baptised will be saved”? (Mark 16:16a) We all know that Jesus loves us and that we have been saved by grace through our faith, what then makes us doubt God’s promise?
I have a copy of the above verse on the wall of my office. It is there to remind me that God will calm any fear I have and that He is so happy with me that He rejoices over me with songs – He is that happy! It is full of hope and the promise that God will do what He has promised to do. Zephaniah was a prophet in ancient Judah during the time when King Josiah reigned (640–609 BCE). He was there to warn the people that God’s Day of judgement was coming. God’s people had strayed, and they thought that they could enter heaven by other doors – worshipping other gods. Then in verse 17, Zephaniah tells them that even though the people will experience consequences, God will bless His people and take away all the judgements put on them.
God sent Jesus to take the wrath of sin on Himself for all of humankind. Heaven is on earth already… God is here with us! Our hope is in the here and now – not only the hereafter. A little girl promised her daddy a hug when he finished his work.
Suddenly, she ran to him and gave him a bone-crushing hug saying: ‘I just want you to know what to look forward to.’ We can live in the hope and joy promised us every day!
Prayer: Dear God, you love me so much that you rejoice over me with singing, you are that happy to have me in your family. Calm any fears I may have and bring me into the assurance of being with you already. Amen
Hopelessness? 12th Day in Lent (Tuesday) Read: Micah 7:1-7 “But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Saviour; my God will hear me.” Micah 7:7 (NIV)
Our world seems to be in disarray. Political leaders are vying for more land and beginning wars over this land. People are upset over rights and rally about injustices, our youth run rampant in the streets hurting themselves and others. Can there be any hope for our world? In the reading from Micah 7:1–7, it sounds so much like the world today, but this was written between 750 and 686 BCE. Has nothing changed with a godless society? Micah was lamenting over a decadent society and the godlessness of his generation. In verse 6 we also read of the breakdown of the family unit.
There was hopelessness then as well as now. We see people turn away from their faith and the truth of God. They turn to other gods: property, wealth, holidays, possessions, entertainment and experiences. Our prayer is that families will turn to God, that they will teach their children the truth and that the world will turn to see God and worship Him. That is our hope! Let’s follow the example of Micah and not dwell in the hopelessness that we see, rather, we watch and wait in hope for the Lord. We can also rest securely in this hope.
That God will hear our prayers and that we can make a difference even in our small part of the world and remain faithful to God and His Word. God sending Jesus at Christmas was the greatest gift God could give to a fallen world. This gift paved a new way of living in God’s grace and forgiveness and the hope of a better day. God looked at His sin-diseased world and provided the remedy for that condition in His only Son. We are sinful people, but we are also God’s forgiven people who walk through life with hope. Jesus promises us eternal life as a gift from our Heavenly Father.
The world may be scary, and unrest surrounds us but know that there is hope for all the world for we have a God who loves and cares for His children. Discouraged? Feeling hopeless? Know that God brings hope! Prayer: My God, I know you care for your world. Bring peace and comfort to your people. Help me know that in you only can I find hope and peace for my life and soul. Amen
Read: Lamentations 3:21-26 “Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:21-23 (NIV)
I have a son who, when younger, did not like to wear anything new. I don’t know why whether it was the scratchiness of the material or the label, or that they were unfamiliar, but he liked his old faithfuls. It got to the point where I would keep some newer yet older clothes that he could wear when we went out and to church. It is interesting that this didn’t apply to underwear or school clothes. It took a couple of years, but he grew out of this quirkiness and is now a fan of new clothes! There is comfort in the familiar. My husband says when we have hamburgers or spaghetti, “This is comfort food.”
I understand that this is the food he grew up with, and it brings memories. I value the above Bible verse, that God’s love is not the same every day. Each day He shows His love to us in a different way, but it is comfortable and brings peace. There is nothing unfamiliar about God’s great love and His feelings towards us, so each day we can put them on, it is a faithfulness that does not change. Each day I can wake up in the hope and with the promise that God has said that my day is a new one, but nothing unfamiliar will change with His love.
This devotional theme challenges me, like all the ones before. How can I come up with new stories, new illustrations to share the hope I have in a loving God who sent His Son to live a human life, and then on a painful journey to the cross and a tortuous death. This was all for you and me. Jesus didn’t stay dead – God had Jesus beat death and rise from the dead so that we can have hope and a future with our Heavenly Father. Jesus paid the cost for all our sins.
This might sound familiar and it brings comfort, but chew over this comfort food, read a new Bible verse and remember God’s goodness. Each day is a new day to love God and each other.
Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for your familiar yet new love and grace which you give me every day. Help me to appreciate your forgiveness and all you did for me on the cross. Amen.