- Dinner -

Friday, November 30th, 2007

Wes Withrow

I've been thinking over the last couple of years what the "perfect church" would look like. The picture that keeps coming to mind is the dinner table.

A place where we're sitting around a big meal, plenty for everybody. I look around and my mom is bringing out some weird food that she is "experimenting" with and my brother and I joke with her about what it could possibly be. We know she doesn't like to cook but works so hard to make everything special for when we can all be together. Across from me is my grandma, she always has to have bread at every meal and is always trying to help to the point that she can be more annoying than helpful. We know that she's like this because she feels like she has outlived her usefulness and just wants to feel needed. My aunt and her friend are there. Her friend likes to control the conversation and be the center of attention. There isn't a job he hasn't had nor a place he hasn't been. What we know is that He has always there for my aunt. She has had a hard time controlling her diabetes and if he hadn't checked in on her she surely would have died from one of her diabetic "episodes".

It really is kind of a strange family full of weirdies and idiosyncrasies, but its family. We all have different ways to dress. We all have different tastes in food. We all have insecurities that cause us to act weird at times.  Some of us weren't even related at one time. But, now, we are family. They welcomed my aunt's friend and they welcomed my wife and we hold on tight to each other. We love each other. We live for each other. We would be willing to die for each other.

Jesus lived and died for us so we could join Him at the table. Isaiah 25:6-9 predicted a time when we can join Him, "The LORD of hosts will prepare a lavish banquet for all peoples on this mountain; a banquet of aged wine, choice pieces with marrow, and refined, aged wine. And on this mountain He will swallow up the covering which is over all peoples, even the veil which is stretched over all nations. He will swallow up death for all time, and the Lord GOD will wipe tears away from all faces, and He will remove the reproach of His people from all the earth; for the LORD has spoken. And it will be said in that day, 'Behold, this is our God for whom we have waited that He might save us. This is the LORD for whom we have waited; Let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation'".

This banqueting table may be one that we can look forward to when we are with our Lord in heaven, but why not start preparing for it now? Why not start living like we're family now?

I think the perfect church would simply be a dining room where there is always another seat available and more than enough food. A place where Truth shines through us and every new person will know we are His disciples by our love for one another. A place where the exclusivity of Christ and the love of Christ live in perfect harmony.

May we all be family.

- This is my test -

Thursday, September 6th, 2007

Bryan Elliott

   Wow.  I think we might actually have this thing up and running.  Kudos to Shawn!!

- Hey -

Monday, September 3rd, 2007

Wes Withrow

We're getting there.

- The Fire Swamp -

Tuesday, July 12th, 2005

Bryan Elliott

Have you ever seen the movie, The Princess Bride? It's one of our all time favorite movies. In it, there is a scene where Wesley and Buttercup, the hero and damsel in distress (respectively), are about to enter the Fire Swamp. This swamp instills the greatest fears in all men because of its great dangers and toils! No one has ever come out alive! There are creatures, spirits, legends and mysteries that await our hero and heroine. Will they ever make it through the swamp alive?!

It's easy and fun to watch a adventuresome scene like that, but has there ever been a "scene" like this in your own experience? It's one thing to watch a fairy tail and know that everything works out for the better in the end, but in our lives, we don't always feel so assured.
There are times in our lives when we seem to be approaching a "Fire Swamp" of sorts; we can't see a happy ending, we see no light at the end of the tunnel, all we know and feel is fear. Sometimes, when we stand at the edge of the swamp and we look ahead and see trying times ahead of us, God takes our hand and gently pulls. Our knees are locked and our hearts murmur, "Please, Lord. I don't want to go. I see what's ahead and it frightens me!"

But, being the ever loving, all-knowing parent, He pulls us through the dark and frightful times. He sometimes carries us through. You see, God knows how the story ends. He sees what lies ahead--the victory, the success, the rejoicing. He is the light in the tunnel that we follow.

Jeremiah 17:7-8 says, "But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit."

Jesus said not to fear and to be anxious for nothing. Ours is an eternal story, but for the time being, we can only see temporally. Trust the One who sees eternity! -B

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