Your Problem With Church2 min read
I met a couple who had an interesting story to tell from their experience on holiday in the US. Originally from France, they had being living in Guinea for almost 20 years. After arriving at the JFK airport, they were told their connecting flight could not take off because the original pilot had some family issues and the airline could not get a replacement.
On their way back, they had taken a VIP Coach to make the two and a half hour drive to the airport. Guess what, the bus broke down and they had to wait for over 4 hours before a replacement bus was found. As it turns out, the bus had been showing signs of problem the day before but the company still decided to put it in the road. They said – “We thought these only happens in Africa”.
As it so happens, we come into the Church expecting the people to reflect a particular lifestyle. Many of us have become disappointed with Church. Because of this we either give up on Church or in the extreme give up on God because His children are not living up to His standards.
The truth about church is that if you stay long in Church, Christians will disappoint you a couple of times. It’s completely impossible for anyone to live up to the expectations we place on each other.
The joy of communal faith-living is the willingness to embrace the worst while expecting the best. It is a case of believing that the grace which has made us perfect will help us live perfectly but also embracing that that same grace is also there to bring us back when we live less than perfect. I have been made perfect so I can live perfect and also find my way back when I make a diversion on the road to living perfect.
Never give up on God because of flaws in His children. He won’t deny they are His kids but He won’t deny himself either. He remains Holy. The failure of His children does not reduce Him in anyway. He won’t reduce Himself to justify your sense of failure of His children.
So even if Church is not all you expected, let God be all you expect from church.
Come to think of it, even God offends my expectation of Him. But that is a conversation for another day
