Missing the entrance, I turned into the lot next to the church. It was a warm February day and the car wash was full. Clearly, I needed a car wash more than anyone there but I also needed to leave (church was starting in a moment).
I left with my car still caked with mud, while cleaner cars stayed to be washed. We could have been equally clean, but I chose to leave.
If other drivers saw me leave, I wonder if they would trust going to this car wash. Cars should be arriving dirty and leaving clean.
I was sending a wild message about that car wash!
As I exited and headed to church, I recognized sometimes we show up to church the same way. We look around at the outward appearance of the people there and we are convinced that they don’t need help as much as we do. The temptation is to leave. Yet, if we stay, we realize that everyone is equally in need of a wash and can be clean!
This is the work of Christ, this is the Good News! First the bad:
Romans 3:10 (NIV)
"As it is written:
'There is no one righteous, not even one;"
God is perfect and just. He loves us. We disobey Him, sin against Him.
Because of His love, He sent Jesus to die on the cross in our place. The third day, He rose again from the dead! Jesus lives and we too can have new life!
Sometimes we run into people who have showed up to church, but never asked Christ to change them into new creations. That’s like me when I exited the car wash, still dirty!
It’s tempting to let the messiness of people turn us away from the God who loves us.
Let’s not do that anymore. Let’s just give our messes to Christ and be made new.
II Corinthians 5:17-18 (NIV)
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:
Romans 3:23-24 (NIV)
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
A Prayer
Dear God, Thank You for the reminders that You love us right where we are at and love us too much to leave us where we are. I’m so thankful Jesus coming to die and live for me! Thank You for the new life I have in Him. You are so good to me.
Questions to Ponder
When have you steering away from church and God’s Word? What drew you back?
How can you help others see that God loves them where they are today?
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