The Loneliest Place On Earth

We attend church regularly. We have lived many different places and have gone to many different churches. I have noticed that church can be the loneliest place on earth. Oh, most churches make the appropriate efforts to appear friendly and welcoming. But spend some time in the church and you may find that most of these efforts are superficial with parking spots for visitors, welcome announcements from the stage, and friendly greeters at the door. However, if people return to the church, they are largely ignored. It is hard for the newcomer to become involved, because friendships and ministries are already firmly established. As an introvert, I find it especially difficult to develop relationships in this environment.

Hebrews 10:24-25 says, “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” Our faith is not a spectator sport, where you just go to church and observe. Our faith is a shared experience of encouraging one another and stimulating each other to love and to do good works. We must become truly welcoming to newcomers, making special efforts to let them into our existing relationships and ministries.

Good or Bad

As I go through a typical day, I often ask myself if the thing that I am observing is good or bad. It is not necessarily a bad question to ask as it helps me set the right course for my life. The danger comes if I assign my judgment to the person rather than the action. I cannot know what is in their hearts, so my judgment of them is likely very flawed.

Acts 15:8-9 says, “And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith.” God offers His grace to all, with no distinction, Whether we consider ourselves good or bad, simple or enlightened, noble or peasant, God offers to make us thoroughly clean by removing that which is unpleasant, unwanted or defiling from our hearts.

Festival

When we lived in Nepal, we watched people celebrate the many festivals of Hinduism and Buddhism. It gave us a new perspective on our own festivals. While many Hindus and Buddhists are sincere believers and devotedly celebrate the festivals, many people used the festivals to indulge in party excesses. The same is true in our country as people celebrate Christmas and Easter, sometimes sincerely and other times indulging in worldly temptations.

I Corinthians 5:8 says, “Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” Unlike the annual Passover festival, Christ followers constantly celebrate the continual festival of the life giving sacrifice of God’s Son. Rather than using the old festival as an excuse for excesses of the flesh, our new festival is grounded in truth and righteousness.

Great Joy

Luke 2:10-11 says, “And the angel said to them, ‘Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. for unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.’ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!'”

This is the Christmas message. Great joy for all people. The Savior, Christ the Lord, has come. Merry Christmas!

Becoming Known

We know celebrities from the things they have done, whether it be acting, creating, leading, speaking, or athletic endeavors. We have observed and come to know things about them from what we have seen and heard. Yet, we ignore what we can know about God through the things He has done for us and around us.

In John 14:9-10 Jesus says, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?” Like Philip, Jesus has been with us our entire lives, granting blessings beyond measure, protecting us, telling us which way to go, and demonstrating that He is God incarnate. We should not quickly forget all that He has done for us, and therefore, recognize Jesus for who He really is.