So many names

This past couple of weeks have been very encouraging and exciting for me as preparations have moved into place for my ordination service this Sunday afternoon. As I was preparing for the day this morning a verse from Isaiah jumped out at me: ‘See, I have engraved you on the palm of my hands.’ Isaiah 49:16. The reading is referring to God having written our names on the palm of his hands; but it struck me how many names are special to me and how many have my name written on their hands. These days are turning into very humbling and yet very confirming ones.

I write things on my hand occasionally in desperation as I can’t find a piece of paper! I put it there so I don’t forget; but we have a habit of washing our hands fairly regularly in a day and sometimes the message is lost. God doesn’t write with a biro; he engraves things – they don’t wash off!

Sometimes I think myself a fairly ordinary friend. I get caught up in the things of today and tend to forget to acknowledge the gifts of yesterday that have brought me to this place. Christmas comes around and the cards go out and you realise that 12 months have gone by without picking up a phone, sending a note or travelling the extra kilometres for a meal.

This Sunday is a big moment for me; but it has been made that way because of good friends who have been my encouragers, exhorters, rebukers and comforters over many years. Many people say that they can live out a Christian life without bothering about being a part of a group of people called a church. Well, I guess you can; but golly you miss a lot!

Many can tell you of the stories of pain that a church has caused them and I could easily knock together a fair list of hurts. I like the story of Jabez in 1 Chronicles 4:9,10:

Jabez was more honourable than his brothers. His mother named him Jabez, saying, “I gave birth to him in pain.” Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory.”’

Poor old Jabez was designated ‘a pain’ at birth! Making a decision to enlarge our territory can be a risky business. It means trusting ourselves to others and those others very often look a lot like us and we know our ability to cause pain.

Over the past 25 years I have been privileged to be a part of three incredible faith communities. One I joined with many doubts and pre-conceptions and that congregation loved me – not only into the church – but into a life changing conversion of faith. The second accepted a green, naïve leader and allowed me space to make some glorious mistakes and together we re-invented our church and powerfully touched the local community. It was quite a ride! Number three has been different again. I sometimes say that we started from zero; but you never start from there if God is with you. Over the past six years I have been blessed to share with a new, young and vibrant community that has probably put me on the biggest learning curve of all!

Which was the best? All three have been great. I have so many names written on my hands that I consider myself the most blessed of individuals. Sunday afternoon is a gift to me from God and the church. I hope that you might see yourself in the giving and receiving also.

Cheers - John