Celebrating the Open Door

Our gatherings are special. We have the young who are trying to figure out faith, identity how that fits into their life’s journey or work, and increasing commitments. We have the parents trying to stay afloat in a world rife with responsibilities, hopes and relationships that increasingly stake a claim to the portion of the day till it seems like 24 hours are not enough. We have those who struggle with the loud voices of temptations and allures all around till it feels like we are walking on the precipice of defeat and victory. The pleasure that always comes at a cost. We have those who are battling doubts about the faith wondering if God is real or even cares. There are those who have trouble sleeping, being at peace. There are also those who are excited about what lies ahead. We have those who are facing tense relationships but putting on the ever-so-ready “I am fine. Things are good.” smile.

As I pick up my guitar to strum a chord and lead our people into glimpsing the greatness of God and responding to it, I’m well aware of the tension I feel in my own heart. The tension between what could be and what is, between what I must and what I do, between how things are and how things will be. That is the tension. The tension between the Holiness of God and the depravity that I feel in my own self.

Hope in Christ rests solidly right in the middle of this. The cross was planted right in the middle of everything that was going wrong with humanity – the evil, the betrayal, the lost dreams, the tragedy, the cry of the innocent, the laughter of the wicked – the cross, right there. Jesus dying right there. In the tension – where the full force of evil was unleashed on goodness embodied.

But within that tension, as Jesus died, he was opening door. As he carried on himself everything that was wrong with the world and with me, he was opening a way whereby in the midst of my brokenness, my evil, my sin, I can reach out to the wholeness, the goodness, the holy – God himself. An open door lies before us through the cross – sins forgiven, God with us, the holy living within the broken.

As I strum my guitar, aware of my inadequacies and brokenness, I see a door opened by God himself, where he welcomes me to sit with him. Made holy through forgiveness, made complete through the presence of His Spirit in me, made adequate through his declaring me righteous and adopted as His child. I never have to leave. It’s time to celebrate. The gathering isn’t perfect, but we certainly gasp in wonder fully aware that we stand complete by grace alone.

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 2 Corinthians 4:7, (NIV)

We often say tht worship is us giving to God. But we don’t realise often enough that it begins with him giving to us. An Almighty God kneeling beside a broken human and making them whole.

Today, when you feel the tension, remember you have an open door in front of you. Walk in, and rest in where you are in Christ. Celebrate it, Soak in it, Live in that truth.

#grace #worry #real #peace #love #cross #jesus