Not a club

Our Daily Bread
So while driving around my neighborhood, I noticed many buildings.  The hospital - where sick people go.  The bar - where people who want to drink go.  Kroger - where people go to shop for groceries.  Chipotle - where hungry people go.  Church - ?  How would you answer this question?

I liked the tag line in today's devotional: A church is a hospital for sinners, not a club for saints.
I know we like to think that a church is place where a lot of holy people go to worship God.  The devotional makes it clear that thinking too highly of ourselves.  Over-promising what a church is supposed to be like causes many misperceptions and problems.  Outsiders expect more of church people.  We often don't expect more of ourselves.  Let us always remember a church is a hospital for sinners, not a club for saints.

Lord, thank you for being the great healer.  Please help us accept your love and mercy into our lives!

Teaching Tuesday
We read chapter 16 this week.  We are almost half way through the first year!  Woohooo!  The new year also brings an end to the five week exploration of the Law centered around Exodus.  The book went into excruciating detail. It was very interesting, but it was in excruciating detail!  Like usual, I had an epiphany in this chapter, something that jumped out as very important to me:
The God who made the universe by saying the words wants to have a personal relationship with each and every person on earth. Wow!  How amazing is that!

So do you have a relationship with God?  He invites you today!

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Let go, my friends!  God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!