Don’t forget: As you reach UP, reach OUT!

After a week with two hundred young people from varied backgrounds, I feel greatly inspired to devote this blog to some of those youths.

The week was a tremendous blessing and there were some significant times of encounter with God, especially during worship. The messages spoken during the sessions were clear and relative, and I truly believe that the hungry were fed and the thirsty were watered.

But the devotion of this blog is to those few. I really can’t quantify or say how many, but to those who arrived with many questions possibly left with many questions, and those who struggled to engage during sessions. Those who during the times of deep intimacy of the spirit during worship were overwhelmed by the atmosphere, the intensity of the praise and the revealing of Jesus through the Word; and felt lost, these few words are your thoughts written down.

For me; no matter how powerful the service was, or how profound; or practical, our teachings were, there were some “lost sheep in Israel” that were crying out right there in our midst. Crying out for love, for hope and for peace.

They were crying out through their frustration; even through their absence in sessions, to know more than just the practicalities of the youth camp. Their behaviour screamed I don’t want to be here but their tears and conversations told another story.

I guess my point to all of this is that the church must encounter God to touch people, to embrace Jesus and all his amazing qualities which then must lead to embracing our youth. To embrace those who may not have the language of church that says, “I need help!”

We cannot become religious in our pursuit of God and remain behind the four walls of a building, forgetting how to connect with people we are meant to serve.

As we strive as the church of Christ to encounter Him more and experience; and receive His grace, it should not be at the cost of isolating ourselves behind the stained glasses of traditional windows or the lights of contemporary churches and miss the amazing opportunity to share all that we have received with those who truly require it.

Let us not forget this week during our meetings, our studies and our worship times: As we reach up, let’s reach out!

Matthew 9:35 “and Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom and healing every disease and sickness.”

­­– Pastor Michael

Go Low

I hear the words “Go low.”

In all humility go low.

In reverence go low.

In service go low.

The offended stand tall but lovers go low. 

The servant is not greater than his master. You do well to follow His example.

For He counted the cost, not regarding His reputation. 

He counted the cost, death on the cross.

He counted the cost, separation from His father.

He paid the price for Our redemption.

He paid the price for Our reconciliation.

As He is, so are we. 

As He is, so am I.

SO…

Go low in all humility.

Go low in reverence.

Go low in service 

The offended stand tall but lovers go low.

My understanding of the ‘Go Low’ I heard was in relation to the posture of my heart, my pride and selfishness. If we desire to be like Him, the state of our heart must be addressed. Jesus said a people draw near to me with their mouth but their heart is far from me. In His mercy He reveals to us what is in our heart, giving us sight to see our true condition outside of Him. Never leaving us there. He gives grace to the humble and shows us His way. He calls out: come follow me, learn of me for as I am so are you in this world. 

We must see Him to become like Him. Jesus, our picture of true love who endured all things for our sakes. Who had the right to be offended, put down His cross and could have called 12 legions of angels but chose to go low, so many could enter in.  

A note from Andrew Murray: 

Jesus humility is our salvation, His salvation is our humility.

Our one need is to study and know and trust the life that has been revealed in Christ as the life that is now ours. It waits for our consent to gain possession and mastery of our entire beings.

We must seek a humility that rests in nothing less than the end and death of self: that gives up all honour of men as Jesus did, to seek the honour that comes from God alone; that absolutely makes and considers itself nothing so that God maybe all, so that the Lord alone maybe exalted.

Humility, Andrew Murray 1993 edition Whitaker House.

BY LARISSA MATTHEWS

Image ownership: Peter Brutsch

Also appears on https://householdfaith.wordpress.com/tag/worship/