Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Journeys from the Station

Yesterday I posted about comparing the church to a train station.  The important thing is not going to the station; the important thing is the journey you take from the station.

There are all kinds of trips.  In Europe, some people travel by train every day.  They ride into the city to do all sorts of things:  to work, to shop, to visit friends.  Short trips and then home.  Things we use cars for around here.

Paul wrote to the Ephesians about those short trips.  The Message puts it like this:  
I want you to get out there and walk- better yet, run!-on the road God called you to travel. I don't want any of you sitting around on your hands. I don't want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere.  Ephesians 4:1 (The Message)

So while we're on those short trips down the road that God has called us to travel, what are we supposed to do?  Paul talked about that, too. Just a bit farther on in the 4th chapter of Ephesians, he talks about the gifts we all have.  Things we're good at.  Things we like to do.  Things we know how to do.  He gave us all different gifts and He expects us all to use the ones we were given.  We need to use them on every trip we take.  On the trip to school, to work, to WalMart, to the beach. 

And He wants us to use ALL the gifts He has given us, not just the fun, exciting gifts, either.  He wants us to use our talents, but also our muscles and our money.  Our voices, but our feet and hands, too.  He wants us to be just like Jesus.  He wants us to love.

Paul talks about that, too. Ephesians 5:1-2 Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents.  Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn't love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that. (The Msg)

Essentially, that's what the real church is here to do:  to spread love around.  That's the main message:  that God loves every single person that you see today.  Ask Him to let you see them as He sees them.
 

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