Seeing Jesus Everywhere
Are you still seeing Jesus everywhere?
Just yesterday, I awoke to an email from an old friend – I mean, not that she’s old, just that… (shoot, Beth Anderson is going to get me now). Anyway, a former member, who relocated to Florida several years ago, but still keeps in touch, who’s really quite young and vibrant… send me an encouraging message about the series we’ve been doing, seeing Jesus Everywhere.
She went on to explain that her church has a gathering called “Faith on Tap” where they get together at a bar/restaurant across from the church, sit at tables of 6-8 and have 4 questions to read and discuss. Recently, it was her turn to come up with the questions… and she decided to use our series as the basis. She explained,
“At first the answers were church and everywhere, but then as people thought about it, we had several that were amazing.
One woman said she saw Jesus in the faces of the greeters and the ushers and all those volunteers who made every person walking into the church feel welcome and loved.
Another woman told of how she was having a very hard day dealing with her Mother who is suffering with dementia. She was feeling very down and unloved and decided to do her devotions. The devotion was to pray for someone who represents Christians to you. She prayed for her friend who is currently working in Chili and as she finished praying the phone rang and it was him!
I haven’t had the chance to talk to some of the people at the other tables, but the comment was that once they thought about it, they see Jesus everywhere and the question really made them think!”
As I read her message, I was so encouraged – first that our friend Beth is paying attention, and encouraged by what we’re doing back home. And second, that those things we’re doing in little ol’ Canonsburg, PA, are rippling out 1,000 miles away and helping other people see and grow in Jesus. I mean, it’s our mission, being lived out way down there!
We just have no idea how much of an impact we’re having, until someone says something.
And earlier this week, I got a text message from a friend – it was aimed at several of us pastors, who preach Sunday after Sunday, and – just like schoolteachers – don’t always see the “fruit” of that weekly work. The friend mentioned that they’d taken their daughter to college, not really knowing (just praying) about her faith. And then they got a message, with a photograph of her and a friend, smiling, ear-to-ear, and the message: “Hey Dad, just got out of church this morning. Loved the worship and will for sure be going back!”
Now, at 0-dark-30, 8 of us will be hopping on a plane and flying down to the Dominican Republic, with Second Chance Global, to… see Jesus down there! See Jesus in the face of the people who welcome us, in the stranger, in the children and adults, and random people in the airports on the way. And we’re going to do our best to reflect God’s love, so that they too can see Jesus in us!
The impact of these little things can bring such joy to each of us, as we share them with each other. So keep looking. Keep expecting to see Jesus. And keep sharing – you have no idea just how big of an impact you can have!
Welcoming You to Grow in Jesus – one sight, one share at a time!
Pastor Don
PS – and please pray for our Team while we’re away this weekend too!