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.

Cleaning for the Cleaners

The Pookwife won three hours of cleaning in a competition. Two cleaners came today for an hour and a half. But of course we had to stay up until 1am last night cleaning up so the cleaners wouldn't be totally disgusted at the filthy pookhouse! The only advantage was watching le Tour while we did it and seeing Evans retain the Yellow Jersey for another day.

I wonder whether we act the same way with other Christians? Do we pretend to be someone we're not? Or do we invite one another into our lives just as we are because we know that Christians accept their brothers and sisters in the Lord unconditionally? What do you think?

who is the pook?

they ask who's the pook
the pook is the pook he is
all will be revealed

well now you know i like writing bad haiku at least.

who am i, mikey wants to know. seriously, i just haven't got round to saying more about myself yet or adding links that will make it more obvious, so for now i'm just enjoying being just the pook. but you do know me mikey.

oh, and 'why the pook?' was the other question. it's a long and boring story. i could tell you, but then i'd have to kill you...

The Maillot de Jaune

Today Cadel Evans gained the Yellow Jersey in the Tour de France by just one second from Schleck after an epic uphill battle on the Col du Tournalet and Hautacam in the Pyrenees! The first Aussie since Anderson in 1982 to gain the Maillot Jaune this far into the Tour, and one of only five altogether to have worn it at all.

The professionalism and utter dedication of these guys is stunning. Some of the other riders from other teams, such as Fabian Cancellara and Jens Voigt, were willing to sacrifice themselves completely for their teams so that their main man would have a chance at the overall win in Paris in two weeks time.

But all of their extreme efforts pale into insignificance against what the Son of God did for us at the cross. He wasted himself utterly so that we could be forgiven and have the victory over sin, death and the evil one, not just in a stage of the race, but at the final podium on the last day. We are more than victors with Christ. But, like Le Tour competitors, to finish the race, we have to keep on going so we can stand with him on That Day as part of his team.

I reckon I can squeeze a couple more sermon illustrations out of this, actually. In his 2nd letter to Timothy, the Apostle Paul uses the illustration of athletes competing several times. He says "...if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor’s crown unless he competes according to the rules." Already this year has seen at least one competitor disqualified as a drug cheat. What are the 'rules' of the gospel? Faith in Christ. When they asked him what works they must do to please God, Jesus replied "the work of God is this - to believe in the One He has sent." (John 6:28-29) If you try to justify yourself by your own good works instead, you will be disqualified for the prize.

There is another way in which the Christian life is like riding le Tour. The bible calls on us to give up everything for the team, to get others over the line in one piece with us. We are not riding individual time trials, but going for the team prize. Again from 2nd Timothy:

2Ti 2:10 Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. 11 Here is a trustworthy saying:
If we died with him, we will also live with him;
12 if we endure, we will also reign with him.


This is my first blog post, but it may well be my last. I didn't really intend to start a blog. Just seeing how it works. We'll see.