Wake Up

I think there’s at least one criticism which can be leveled at the 21st century Church; we are suffering from somnambulism – sleepwalking. We are just going through the motions of being followers of Jesus and not awake to the possibilities and the challenges of our time. We cannot just be satisfied with the status quo of our congregations, our synods and our National Church. We must be willing and able to “wake from sleep” and see the new areas of mission right at our doorstep.

I am very involved in the Hamilton Out of the Cold Program. In our 2012 season we served 18,000 meals to hungry men, women and children. It’s a wee bit of a shame on our society that programs like Out of the Cold are needed, yet it is a privilege to serve good food to hungry people. Thankfully, many of the members of the parish I attend have also become volunteers on Saturday nights as we prepare for and serve 50-100 guests each week.

What’s the mission on your doorstep? What are you being asked to wake up to, so that others might be served in Jesus’ name? How can we maintain our identity and reach out to those in need, those who are hungering for a relationship with others and with God?

Lord God, help us to be awake to new possibilities. Amen. — KJB