'Take me to Church'

Matthew 7:3 "Why, then, do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, and pay no attention to the log in your own eye?"...

 Such contravesory surrounds modern style living and church. I'm not about to offer my humble opinion as it is not for me to judge, but to love as Jesus taught us to.

 Following a turbulent few years searching for love in the wrong places, after co-habating with two men...not at the same time, I was sad and alone..when, Praise God, a dear friend invited me to Church. I declined on the grounds of ...'maybe not!...it sounded a bit scary, and I didn't want to be a hat wielding posh dressed Sunday Worshipper, I valued my lie-ins"

 To this day I'm not sure of the moment or the words she used to co-erce me through the door of my local evangelical building.

 The music erupted into a loud exubarant clapping melodic sound, the three hundred strong crowd, made up of all nationalities, from 0-100 years danced rhythmically to the beat, wide smiles and hands waving in the air.

 Mesmerised and a little shocked I gently nudged my friend, realising she to had been brainwashed as her hands stretched heavenward - Her face lost in wonder...Time to run. Standing there in the midst, I felt isolated and alone...they were all united as one body...I felt vulnerable, not knowing which way to turn, and looked expectantly towards the fire exit.

Soon the pastor was getting very excited telling us about the devil...evidently I figured, he was trying to scare me into paying protection money...but the devil? Really? I was considering my best excuse to exit as soon as the sermon finished...politely and quietly so as not to offend.
Then without warning it happened. I felt like God had tipped the top of my head back, like a lid on a coffee pot, His unconditional love poured in to the ends of my fingers and toes. An empty vessel, there was plenty of room for His overwhelming love, tangible, merciful.

As His love flowed and ebbed filling me to overflowing He showed me Jesus on the cross, dying for my sins.He opened my eyes to what sin was...not just my grandads old fashioned disapproval - but I had been sinning...my life rushed before me, and yet at the same time He told me I was forgiven, a new creation in Him, saved by the blood of His son, Jesus Christ. I have no idea how long this vision lasted until it felt like He flipped the top of my head back on sealing His Love inside. I buzzed out of that meeting like a ball in a pinball machine, bouncing so fast, head spinning, joyful, exhilarated, made new, loved beyond measure.

29 years on, I'm still buzzing, yes I have continued to sin, and I have been forgiven, every day I hope to be better than yesterday...by His Grace, Mercy and Wisdom I strive to be more like my Saviour..yet still I have Many 'logs' in my eye.

How can we judge a sister or brother?...how can it be down to us to say who They are and who is welcome in our churches? who are we to give them a label?

Church is family, love, pure love, unconditional without judgement. It is for us to invite all to Church, then it is between them and Jesus...through His Holy Spirit to encourage us all to live and love by His Grace and Mercy, and the plans God has for each of us can come to fruition as He transforms and renews our minds..to prosper us and not to harm us.

 I Am eternally grateful to my insistent friend...and hope I can be an insistent friend to others, whoever and wherever they are today.