A Trysting Place – 40 Days in Brede Abbey – Day 34
How we welcome lost lambs back into the Body of Christ says as much about us as it does about the penitent. We must beware, in so doing, of turning our God into a Judge rather than a Redeemer.
How we welcome lost lambs back into the Body of Christ says as much about us as it does about the penitent. We must beware, in so doing, of turning our God into a Judge rather than a Redeemer.
We often sing ‘All are welcome. All are welcome, All are welcome in this place.’ but not everyoen feels they are. Why doesn’t the church open its doors to those who are ‘different?’
Sometimes lonely but never alone – the church is called to ensure that everyone knows they belong and call us from our ‘aloneness’ into community.
In our busy-ness with all the work we do for the church we may easily forget our call and find ourselves surrounded by shepherdless sheep.
It is easy to see our Beloved as the Good Shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep. It is very different when we realise that this means we are called to do the same…
It is understandable that having found a Trysting Place where we can hear the love song of our Beloved we would want to remain there. But what use is that love if we keep it for ourselves alone?
Love can be a ‘many splendoured thing’ but it can also make our life complicated. Loving our Beloved first allows us to find serenity and a foundation from which we can bring love to a loveless world.
Destined to become the Bride of Christ how do we ‘practice for Paradise?’ It is not about wearing a habit or practising a devotion but, wherever we are, turning our face to the Beloved each day and saying ‘yes.’
Even though we may be certain of the call of God on our life the church may not always agree with our timing. How do we cope when our heart says ‘yes’ and those around us says ‘no’?
There is no circumstance in which we find ourselves wherein God does not call us to give our life away. We should always be alert to the voice of God and be eager to follow.