In the last few months I have been reminding our folk at chapel that we Christians are an Exodus people, a people who move on.
It
seems strange to our little congregation to be in on the closing for
worship of our building. This has been brought about by lack of
numbers and also by the death, earlier this year, of our much loved
secretary on whom we relied so heavily. Yet it means the end of a
Free Church presence in our village that has lasted 113 years.
Indeed, the origins go back over 80 years further than that, but in
premises now lost.
The
turn of events seems strange to the folk of the village as well as to
us. People wonder what will come next, and hope that the property
will not be turned into yet another housing development.
But
if there is anything strange, it ought to be that one congregation
has been in the same place for so long. The presence of such edifices
as our ancient cathedrals lulls us into an illusion of permanence.
People speak wistfully of the worshippers who have occupied the
sacred, hallowed spaces over many centuries, handing down a long
chain of praise to God. In comparison, a church that has lasted
little more than a century may be thought of as not running the
distance.
Yet
this is surely a false notion. As far as this world is concerned,
Jesus Christ did not think in terms of centuries.
“When
they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, for truly, I say to
you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before
the Son of Man comes” (from Matthew 10, ESV).
Churches
are not meant to stay put indefinitely. The real fixtures are God the
Father, the Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit:
“For
as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in
turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong
to him. Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God
the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power.
For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.
The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For he ‘has put everything
under his feet.’ Now when it says that ‘everything’ has been
put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself,
who put everything under Christ. When he has done this, then the Son
himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so
that God may be all in all” (1 Corinthians 15:22-28 NIV).
“And
I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help
you and be with you forever — the Spirit of truth” (John 14:16
NIV).
As
for me, I have now passed retirement age and am looking forward to
making my home in Llandudno, North Wales. I know I shall never retire
from being a Christian. But the pattern of my ministry will now
inevitably change.
One
other development is that I am discontinuing this blog. Some of you
may have followed me through 8 years and almost 200 entries. I am
thankful to have had a readership and wish everyone concerned all the
best for the future.
The
best legacy I can leave with you is this urgent plea: if you have not
yet known Christ as your Saviour, accept Him now. He is the one fixed
point in a changing life. If you have already accepted Him, hold
fast. That is my testimony and my comfort: through thick and thin, by
His grace, I am still here, with Him in my life!
