When I was a teenager I remember having an argument with the guy who gave me a lift to work. He was a Christian and he used to try to encourage me to take an interest in faith, but I wasn't having any of it. I remember saying to him one morning, "I don't need your crutch. I can stand on my own two feet. I can make my own decisions."
The reality was that I was deeply hurt by parts of what had happened in my life. I did need a crutch... in fact, I was making use of several at that point in my life. Popularity was one, partying another. Music gave me an outlet for my frustration. I was in fact totally dependent on these external factors for my happiness. I wasn't free at all- I was, in fact, trying very hard not to notice that life was empty and pointless. Becoming a Christian really changed that for me.
If you are someone who has been put off church or is unsure about faith I'd like to share a thought or two with you as we approach Christmas. It's the perfect time to visit a church and consider faith in Jesus Christ as a source of deep joy and comfort.
The Church is a place to learn to be fully human
The church is the opposite of the shopping centre. There we are isolated individuals, serving our own desires, never fully content. In church, we are called together by his desire, for all of this life and heaven to come. At first glance, it mightn't seem that way. Yes, that pensioner in front of you looks grumpy. The child behind you is crying. The sermon is a bit confusing. The band/choir are a bit out of tune. Imperfection is everywhere in the church. And that's good because then you will fit right in. That grumpy pensioner will be delighted to see a new face. You might end up teaching that baby in Sunday School in a few years. You might never win X-factor, but the band/choir will love your help. You have found a new family.
The church doesn't need to change, we do.
We spend most of our lives rushing about, working hard, chasing the next goal, hitting the next target. In church, we are invited to stop. To wait. To release the death grip we have on the reins of our lives. To learn to see ourselves from God's perspective.
We love watching reality tv and fantasy epics or sci-fi. It's great to escape from the worries of life. Yet when the show ends our thoughts and worries are still the same. It's all popcorn entertainment- fun but not nourishing.
An hour in church should turn this on its head. We come to church not to be entertained but to find new life. Not to forget who we are for an hour but to become the person that God wants us to be. In the quietness of an ordinary parish church, we can find the God who waits for us to listen to him.
Have a blessed Christmas :-)
