God's Waiting Room

Today I took my monthly turn at leading two nursing home services.

I try to impress on these people, most of whom are godly believers who are no longer able to make it to the church services they used to attend, that they have not been forcibly retired from 'The Church.' This meeting together is every bit as much their church as whatever denomination they once belonged to, and just as important in the eternal purposes of God as the other congregations in the town. Sadly, this is also actually true in terms of numbers! At the first one there were 20 people. This is a larger congregation than half the churches in our town! But that's not what I mean of course. The bible reveals God as the one who will not put out a smouldering wick, and the champion of the 'Little People.' No not leprechauns, I mean the powerless, the overlooked, the forgotten people. The people others have put on the shelf. In this case the ones we perhaps somewhat patronisingly refer to as those in God's Waiting Room, forgetting that we ourselves are in the same room, even if on average we may have a slightly longer wait.

Some of my colleagues over the years have seemed totally uninterested in ministry to the aged, and have even expressed doubt at its relative worth (which is a polite way of saying it's a waste of time). Others have simply voted with their feet by never going near a nursing home. But I think we need to regard these people as being as much worthy of our time and respect and gospel ministry as others who may be more interesting, dynamic and, well... young.