Normal church, normal home
【Whisper of the Shepherd】2
It’s twelve o’clock when I finish my homework and prepare to make brunch for myself. Opening the refrigerator, he bent down and reached for the eggs when he blurted out to himself: "Mei Jin, I miss you, I love you, you are so good."
After the eggs were ready, I returned to the study table. There was a drizzle of spring rain outside, moistening the grass that had been dry for a while. I wanted to water it the day before yesterday, but the rain came at just the right time. I inadvertently raised my head, looked at the green grass outside the window, and said, "Heavenly Father, I miss you too, you are a good God! I love you."
I picked a birthday card for my wife and wrote a few words:
I picked this card when I was buying groceries at Shop Rite. I like this picture and gave it to my beloved wife. I am extremely imperfect, but I have become a better person because of her. Of course, I should thank her and thank my Heavenly Father. We have been in a relationship since our senior year of college, but the result has been good. This is Heavenly Father’s design! Abba, Father, you have really done a wonderful work on us, you are so great!
It was after forty-two years of fighting that I was finally able to say these true words. Love and unity are so difficult, just like a male rhinoceros and a female rhinoceros. They fought to the death, both sides were hurt, and they were dying before they said, "Oh, I love you so much!" Satan was adding fuel to the fire and applauding, while Heavenly Father was enduring the pain. The angels are also watching with bated breath, but they know that the final result will be good, and God is sculpting a masterpiece in His hands!
strive for unity
God’s word encourages us to strive to preserve the unity of the Spirit (see Ephesians 4:3). But how? During weddings, I often encourage couples that there are four elements for a happy marriage: 1. Commitment; 2. Acceptance; 3. Respect each other as guests; 4. Watering and nurturing.
This is true for couples, and so is the church. Unity requires effort; a tidy house requires work; if not taken care of, the weeds in the yard will eventually overtake the good grass. This is the law of nature. In this fallen world, everything is heading towards chaos. Any Anything of value requires us to pay a price to operate it, no exceptions!
The easiest thing to do is: if the glass is broken, throw it away and buy another one; if a couple has such a hard time getting along, divorce it, then marry another one; if you are not satisfied with the church, go find another one nearby, no big deal! But this is no longer home, and it is not God’s design. It is just a choice made by man using the most precious free will given by God. One day we will all have to give an account to the Lord for what we have done.
Home is the first place where we receive love and learn to get along with others. No family is free from conflicts. On the contrary, people who are far away from each other will be fine. Therefore, when children are snatching toys from an early age, parents must teach them; when parents occasionally quarrel, we must let the children see how we repair them so that they will not be afraid of marriage in the future. The church is a home, which is enough for every child of God to study well at home. There are many characteristics of a home. One sentence comes to mind: "A normal church, a normal home."
truly love each other
For example, I lived at home and grew up eating my mother’s cooking. The dishes my mother cooks are very simple. Fish is pan-fried and chicken legs are marinated in soy sauce. Our favorite is curry rice. If it’s a treat, my sister and I help my mother fry egg dumplings with a ladle, and that’s about it. The way we grew up, we didn't hire chefs from outside to make special dishes. However, many Christians come to church just to listen to sermons. They have visited all the nearby churches. They have listened to all the wonderful sermons for twenty or thirty years, but there is no spiritual growth or breakthrough. Do you know why? Because the church is not a restaurant, the church is a home!
I returned to Taipei after my senior year and brought my girlfriend to my home. It was a little awkward at first because my home is small and a bit messy. My sister lived alone in one room, and we, four brothers, slept in bunk beds. This is how we grew up. I thought that churches may be big or small, and not all may be magnificent. It is normal to have flaws and imperfections, because the church is the home where children grow up, not a neatly laid out, spotless hotel where they occasionally spend the night!
What matters is love. At home, we can let our children see their parents hugging, kissing, and treating each other sincerely. That is even more important. I think of the song I loved to sing when I was a child: "My family is so lovely, clean, happy and healthy; my sisters and brothers are very kind, and my parents are kind. Although there is no big garden, the fragrance of spring orchids and autumn osmanthus is always there; although there is no hall, it is warm in winter and cool in summer... … ”
Father's heart
The church is the same as the family. What parents care most about are their children and their children’s children, and what they look forward to most is for the three generations to live together. This desire deep in our souls is innate. In all heroic movies, at the end of the battle, the hero returns to his lover. This is right, otherwise the story would not be over yet. When David and six hundred warriors returned to Ziklag, they saw that the women and children had been taken captive. They cried to death (see 1 Samuel 30:4). Why? Because without a wife and children, everything is meaningless.
God is like this, everything he created is for us, otherwise the vast universe would be completely eclipsed. Therefore, He will return victoriously on a white horse and mightily marry us, the spouses and beauties He created, loved, and painstakingly crafted. As we inherit the DNA of our Heavenly Father, we must also turn our hearts to our wives, children, and all members of God’s family.
If it's a family, everyone contributes. The older ones can cook and cut the grass, the middle ones can wash the dishes, and the younger ones can help with diapers and feeding bottles. No one competes for status or title in the family; only the elder serves the younger. Even my father, whether he is the boss, director or CEO in the company, will put down his posture and start doing housework when he returns home. If the churches together are truly the Father's house, then there is no difference between a pastor of ten thousand and a pastor of fifty. The church is not a company, it is a family, and God is our Father! God also wants a home. He has traveled through mountains and ridges to find us. Once he has found us, he is still searching for a home that is suitable for Him to live in (see Isaiah 66:1-2). Lord, may we find a resting place in You. Come and dwell among us. We welcome You and truly love You.
Author profile:
Pastor Xu Zongshi holds a Ph.D. in microbiology and a Master of Divinity from Trinity Theological Seminary in Chicago. He is currently the senior pastor of the Evangelization Center. Author of the book "Flying Out of the Bird Cage".