the joy of seeing a friend

A couple of days ago, I went on a bike run around our housing estate as a way of getting fit.

At one point I cycled past a young girl standing in the driveway of her friend's house. She saw her friend walking along the road and pretended to be waiting impatiently for her, her hands on her hips, tapping her foot.

Her friend couldn't keep the grin off her face as she started to half run, half skip along the road to see her friend.

At that moment, I caught a glimpse of the joy Jesus feels when someone comes looking for him. If Heaven is anything like the joy captured in that moment, then I can't wait!

:-)

You can choose your friends...

...but you can't choose your family.

When you become a Christian, you become part of a huge family. On so many levels this is an absolutely amazing thing. Across the world, people are your brothers and sisters.

Yet it can also be one of the saddest things. I've been to so many websites, chat rooms and events when I've heard Christians say the stupidest things.

• I've heard Christians tell other Christians that if they don't pray in tongues, they're not really saved
• I've heard Christians tell people they are going to hell if they are homosexual
• I've heard Christians make the most horrendous mistakes but say "God told me to do it"
• I've heard Christian men tell Christian women that "God says we've to get married"
• I've heard... oh, you get the picture

You see, the problem is that people are people are people. Discovering that God loves you and sent Jesus to die on a cross so that you can have your sins forgiven and be given eternal life sadly doesn't mean that you get a new brain when you accept that gift of grace and become a follower of Christ.

And I think that's one of the things the world needs to hear. Christians aren't perfect. We make mistakes. We say stupid things. We can be hypocrites. We are human. And so are you... that's the amazing thing. You don't have to be anything in order to become something amazing - a child of God.

Don't let Christians put you off Christ. Let Christ help you endure Christians!

Of course, I'm speaking of a vocal minority. The world is full of amazing Christians, who love with all their heart and who would lay down their lives for you (and frequently do). But the world is also full of amazing non-Christians, and you know what? God loves them just as much and died for each and every one of us.

God bless <><

first post

Well, this is my first post.

I have to admit, I stared at a blank screen for a while, scared to ruin it!

But I know I need a space to think aloud. Too much of my life is contained and controlled - I have responsibilities at work and am a leader in a church and this means it's hard for me to say what I think a lot of the time because I need to be aware of the implications my words have on other people.

Hopefully this will be a place that allows me a bit more freedom and perhaps will be meaningful to someone out there too :-)

I'm also keen to explore "revelatory prayer", where I can pray for someone who wants it and share anything I feel God giving me about that person. Perhaps it will uplift you and encourage you.

God bless <><