Ears to hear....

Yesterday was a day full of mixed stuff, I finally got to grips with one essay and finished it... sent it off to my tutor who was happy with it...so I'm moving on to the next one! 1 down 2 to  go...

I then went to a funeral- I am assisting  Matt at a few funerals so that I can take some on whilst Andrew (boss) is on sabbatical. It was awkward because the funeral was held in a small village chapel, and although they had been asked not to so many people filled the pews that some of the family did not have anywhere to sit. It was sorted out but it was an unnecessary and thoughtless act of some folk towards a grieving family, they could have gone up into the balcony area but simply did not want to. There are not words to express the confusion and angst that reigned in an already tense situation.... The family have requested another visit, I pray that we will be able to bring a word of comfort in season. Will we have ears to hear?

The evening took me into Cambridge to Wesley House, it was good to catch up with fellow bloggers PamBG and Dave. The evening session was on our mission to the elderly, but the discussion opened up into theology of church, theology of giving and theology of mission.  There is far too much to report here, but one point that really struck me as we discussed was what do we mean when we talk about the mission of  the church?

I am an Evangelist, so for me this is an crucial point to grapple with, so often we speak of mission in the context of what we do for ,or in a worst case scenario to others... it puts into place the us and them divide... it "otherises" people. The question arose that we might see mission in a broader sense , that of our listening to God and participating in the life he has given us, living it out in all its fullness, mission then becomes hearing and obeying, praying, receiving, worshipping, serving, being... through this if we truly hear we will display a quality of life that both attracts and repels much as Jesus did. Big questions...do we have ears to hear?

On the subject of giving a neat side step was taken to avoid the topic of money and the group concerned discussed time! Why Oh why are we so afraid to discuss money? We must get over this reluctance... is it a peculiarly British thing? I suspect not, I think that money is a subject where we block our ears because our comfortable lifestyles are challenged and possible put at risk.... too often the church operates either on a shoestring because we all expect the giving to come from elsewhere, or rigid tithing regulations are set in place by hard teaching- a recent question in Christianity magazine challenged attitudes by suggesting that we must acknowledge that tithing is an intolerable burden for some and a legalistic cop out for others... but to discuss the subject makes us feel uncomfortable!....perhaps we do not have ears to hear

O people of Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more. How gracious he will be when you cry for help! As soon as he hears, he will answer you. ²⁰ Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them. ²¹ Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it." ²²