Doing God's Work
I wonder if it is easier to proclaim your faith if you are being persecuted; living in an area where Christianity is not tolerated. Violent conflict and loud proclamation of beliefs could be easier to sustain than a long, slow slog against indifference. Extremist passion can provoke passion in others, both for and against the activist. Is it easier to maintain a belief if you feel you are doing something strong and worthwhile, being noticed, rather than just living a day-to-day life with Christian values, having no obvious effect on the world? Does this in fact lead to a diluting of our own beliefs and disengagement? When we hear the Lord’s call, do we jump at the chance or prevaricate and find excuses for the quiet life?
We are extremely lucky to be living in a country that permits all religions to be practised without let or hindrance but sometimes this can be frustrating too. The overwhelming apathy towards what is supposed to be the established religion of the country can make us want to scream and the fact that sometimes we are forced to not only respect but act in accordance with the ways of other creeds can make us despair. It may be easier to stand up to outright oppression than to cope with these subtle influences around us, often in the guise of political correctness.
Last week Mark preached about the preparation needed to be ready to do God’s work whenever we are called. He spoke of the two farmers praying for rain. One sat and waited, the other ploughed his field and prepared to sow his seed as soon as the rain came. Mark asked which we thought actually believed in God’s love and power.
Bob M’s long term prophesy for NMEFC refers (as I am sure we all know by now) to the dry bones rising (Ezekiel 37) and the work of the church not being contained by the four walls, work which we know will succeed if we are “one together in love”. Over the last year we have done a lot of practical preparing, clearing clutter, cleaning and painting. We have also worked on fellowship and caring and we have organised ourselves with regular business meetings but, most important of all, we have prayed for direction and, hopefully, listened to what we were told to do.
The time for New Year resolutions is fast approaching, and whilst I think on the whole these do not last beyond January 2nd, I feel we should make one now. I do not mean we decide to give up chocolate or get up earlier so there is no rush for the train each morning, but that we should reaffirm our faith and agree to move on and out in the coming months.
When I was a child there were popular hymns that expressed the martial side of Christianity, “Onward Christian soldiers” and “Soldiers of Christ arise” being two. The concept of warfare is not popular nowadays, especially as we look at the bloodshed going on in many Muslim nations at present, but Bob’s dry bones would not exist if they had not been part of an army and they are expected to rise again as an army of Christ. One person at this week’s prayer meeting said it all when she said that she had asked herself if she really meant it when she told God she was willing to do whatever He asked. Was she really prepared to put herself in the firing line for Him? We should all consider this and then we can sing together the chorus “Here I am Lord, send me”
