40 Days of purpose - pre-launch initiated....

Another great day in Church - tremendous worship from the first moments, with Tony kick-starting the "pre-launch sequence" to next Sunday's launch of 40 Days of purpose...through into a lovely Newcomer's Lunch -thanks to Bren and Malc for the cooking!...then into another great evening of worship, and Gordon teaching...

Feeling sleepy, but blessed.

It was a day spent in lots of prayer connections. A real privilege to stop for a few minutes and just pray one-on-one with folk, all over the place, with no great fanfares, but real connectons made. Never underestimate what can happen when you just sit down with someone, and "be" for a minute or two. They may never be in a position at that moment to explore huge theological debates as to what is happening; they do need to know they're not alone in the hurt. I gave up saying "I know how you feel" long ago. I can never know how someone else feels, how they hurt, how their hearts are being torn out without anaesthetic, how scared they are, how lost they feel.

But there is One who knows, who feels, who cares.

And the amazing thing is, He asks us to be His hands and arms, as well as His eyes. To hold someone's hand when they cry is profound. It's even more profound when you shut your mouth while you do it. To be able to hold someone in your arms on His behalf, that is not threatening, or intrusive, or in any way compromises someone else's integrity (or yours), is awesome.

Pat's Thought for the Day:
When Christ called the Church His Body, sometimes that means using our bodies to reach out in the way that He would. Satan has so polluted the gift of touch that we often shrink back, fearing that "people will think the worst" if we touch someone else.

Ask God for wisdom to reach out in a way that is truly sanctified, totally without reproach, and never compromises either of you - but then do reach out. Only God knows what an amazing difference it could make.