Isn’t it obvious that God-talk

without God-acts is outrageous nonsense?

–James 17, The Message

Only once do I recall the minister of our church entering our home when I was a child. In anticipation, we cleaned. After all, you had to clean up your life to talk to the preacher. Therefore, the green shag carpeting in the living room was carefully vacuumed. While Mom put on the coffee, my bother and I were instructed to put on our best manners.

The second pastoral visit to my home was made decades later by our wonderful pastor some days after our son was born. I distinctly recall him calling and telling us he would drop by for a short time and arrive in 30 minutes. I was horrified for a moment. I looked around at myself and the house, both moderately disheveled. It’s what happens with a new baby. Pastor Don understood this and came anyway, to sit on the floor, to play with our other children, and celebrate the miracle that is Daniel.

There are two lessons I take away from both visits.

The first lesson: God takes us just as we are. We do not have to clean up to approach Him. That’s because God is a come-as-you-are Being. After all, He created each one of us. He knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows our thoughts and steps. How silly to think that if we spiff up on the outside we will provide the correct appearances for Him and everyone else. The truth is, we attempt to be good enough for God but it never works. We can’t be. God is too perfect and too just. But if we come to Him with a heart that understands our failings and accepts the gift of His Son, He accepts us just as we are.

When we accept God’s gift, it’s party time in the universe. The sun shines. The angels sing. The coffee is put on because you, your life right now and all that is to come, is worthy of a celebration.

And once we claim God and He claims us -— looking upon us as perfect and whole because of Christ — He looks to see how we might make use of all the gifts He has given us. Don’t think you have any gifts? It’s time to take a personal inventory. What interests you? What are you doing when you feel the most fulfilled? This is not only an adventure in personal understanding, but a necessary exercise when living out a life of faith with others.

A quick glance at Christ’s life—filled with colorful characters, some socially despised, some misunderstood, many sick and hurting, and you come to understand that Christ longs for us to be practical in our efforts to share His love with others. He wants us to be ready to set aside agendas and plans, in some cases, so we can demonstrate how interruptions and service to others are all divine opportunities; moments to truly love others in personal and practical ways

If we don’t, nobody else might either.

The second lesson: Don’t segregate your spiritual life. Don’t take it out one day and tuck it away the next. Why did it feel so strange when the preacher ventured into my childhood living room? We did not incorporate “church”into our everyday lives, into our daily thinking, into our hearts. Faith was initially not deeply personal or relational.

Catastrophic events, occurring daily around the world, remind me that people need to know that God cares for them. People need to know that people of faith are willing to serve beyond the church setting, to be personal and practical. Hospitable and friendly. Supporting and respectful. Patient and compassionate.

We’re better together. We need each other. God never intended for us to do it alone. God intended for us to offer a personal touch to His profound love.