He meets us where we are – (the original)

Do I meet God where I am – or where I think I should be?  Do I duck and dive until I am presentable or embrace like a lover – naked and natural?  Do I need God to see me as I am – or how I think I should be?

He meets us where we are

Do I live the rattle-tattle of church life – the service structure, the good and bad preaching, the wrong music and the correct verses?  Do I worship with half a heart while watching the clock – and whether my time here is being rewarded as it should?

Do I meet God where I am?

Is my church life a soap opera scripted by tittle-tattle – who is in and who is out – who is hot and who is not – who is seen as sacrificing most and who is not – who is a mover and shaker (and who is a road block) – who to be seen with and who not?  Is that what “being a Christian” really is?

He meets us where I am

Is what I have in common with other Christians not “God” but the church-life of rattle-tattle and tittle-tattle?  The diaries, the meetings, the budgets and committees – the finely (or clumsily) crafted sermons – the well (or not)-chosen hymns – the free (or not) flowing services – the funny twitch Mrs Smith has – the out-of-key singing Mr Jones has – the (much) better church over there – the church to be (really) pitied over here … ?

Do I meet God where we are?

If what I have in common with Christians is the rattle-tattle and tittle-tattle – how can I be still and know God?  How can I connect with those who walk in the faith I proclaim?  How can I connect with those who live naked?  How can I want to live with those who live naked?  How will I recognise God in others if I love the rattle-tattle and tittle-tattle more than I love others?  And how will I see God in those who don’t live rattle-tattle as I do?

He meets me where I am

And if worship is not love – what is worship?  And if worship is love – why not call it LOVE?  Why talk of love but live rattle-tattle?  Why talk of worship but love tittle-tattle?  Why walk in faith so long as we all agree how?  Why live in faith so long as we can see the way forwards?  Why “walk in faith” – but stand around waiting for the answer?

Do I meet God where I am?

Because underneath the rattle-tattle is where we meet God. The Place – deep down that surpasses words and tradition.  The Place – in each that is the essence of who we used to be, who we wish to be, who we are becoming again.  The Place – of humanity, of kindness, of gentleness, of silence, of knowing.  The Place of Connection.

He meets me where I AM

I may know I am wearing a mask as I live my life.  But can I accept that God sees behind that mask, knows the me behind every mask, loves the me no matter what mask I think looks good right then?  Can I walk in faith that you are no different to I – that in The Place there is no hierarchy, qualification, skill, experience, colour, race, gender, preference, bias, worship, liturgy, religion or faith.  The Place is bigger than all that.  Love is bigger than all that.

For if LOVE is not inclusive of all those – is it even love at all?   So I ask again …

Do I meet God where I AM?

The Place in all for all.

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