Family
We’ve just spent this last weekend with 200 perfect strangers. You’d think that would have been difficult. You’d think that it would have made us feel ‘on the edge’, ‘out of it’ and ‘unknown.’ But the family of God is an elastic band of infinite and wonderfully pliant stretchiness.
We drove for hours to be with our new church on their weekend away. The children were exhausted and tearful after the drive. We missed the first meal and session, and I gratefully climbed into bed in our palacial bedroom, complete with outsized antique furniture. There were a few points that night where I wondered if we had done the right thing, hauling ourselves up the M1 to be with people who didn’t know us from Adam, or any of his relatives.
My husband went down to the bar. After buying a drink, someone asked him to join their table and he felt accepted and welcomed. The same happened at breakfast. We sat down and were warmly greeted as long-lost friends by a couple we met once five months ago. The whole weekend God provided people for us. It was hard work and very tiring with our four little ones, but so worth the effort. Jon and I had to do shifts to make it work and then compare notes later. We’d get back to our room and say who we’d met. We were laughing about how you have to quickly categorise people in that circumstance…
“…. lovely lady called Claire. Creative jewelry. Looks a bit like one of our bridesmaids. Very fun. Giggled alot with her. Married to an architect. Two kids who could model in catalogues…”
“Oh yeah… I met her too… in the dining room I think…”
Although we didn’t make many whole sessions and needed to ‘babysit’ the children in the evenings, those we hung out with (trendy couples, singles, children, grandparents, families) were so warm and lovely. He allowed for some very strategic, if short, conversations. I felt at times as though I was trying to drink from a fire hydrant or cram for an exam!! We met many people but 66 whose names we can remember…many of whom introduced themselves to us. It would have taken us a month of Sundays to meet half that many….
In the final meeting, a leader asked people to come and pray over us that there would be breakthrough with our house move. As the group started to pray, I felt wobbly. I handed our baby to someone and seconds later fell backwards heavily onto my chair. Then I HAD to lie down. The heaviness of God’s spirit came over me, hemming me in, as people of all ages prayed over us. I began to feel that wonderful sensation that my Father knew all. One lady prophetically spoke out my latest dream – a dream only 2 other people know. She was as accurate as though she had read my ‘spiritual post.’ Another young couple cried over me, sensing God doing special things. I opened my eyes a while later and instead of seeing strangers saw the face of Christ in each smile. I hugged my new brothers and sisters tightly. I am going to be doing my life with these people. I am so looking forward to it.
There are no strangers in Christ, only people whose names you need to be reminded of. The world knows nothing of such family. It is our job to get out there and invite them in.