Who are the people in your neighbourhood?

I didn't go to church tonight. Why? Probably because I don't know the people in my neighbourhood. When we go to church I, like many, normally sit down in the same general area. You could call this our neighbourhood. Do we welcome our neighbours, or just accept that they are there and don't bother to get to know them.

I was helping to stack chairs at an evening service. Helping is great, but my motive was wrong. I was avoiding getting to know my neighbours. If I help long enough, people leave and I don't have to get to know them. Pretty sneaky huh.

I rode a train from Edmonton to Vancouver one year as I headed back to the Island for Christmas. I got to talking to two other fellows on the trip. What we talked about was just stuff, nothing of real importance from what I remember. Here is the kicker, none of us throughout the entire trip knew the other person's name! We didn't really know our neighbour, we just accepted they where there.

I had a pastor tell me one time, "I knew you where here, I saw your truck." That might not mean much to you, but to me it spoke volumes. You know my face, you know my name, you know my TRUCK. Thanks neighbour. I know your vehicle also.

I don't know about you, but I need to meet my neighbours.

Prison Walls

I taught a Sunday School class today on Acts 12, the miraculous escape of Peter from prison. Amazingly enough I think it has applications to us singles out there that want to be married. You may feel that being single, you are in an impossible situation. Let's face it, sometimes it feels that way doesn't it?

Peter was in an impossible situation, chained up between two watchmen, guards everywhere, a locked iron gate that lead to the city and not a Tim Hortons coffee to be found.

Disregard the Tim Horton thing...I don't even drink coffee. Better make it a Tim Horton peanut butter cookie.

Our "impossible" situation is like a prison. But be sure of this, God still cares and He knows what we are going through and He has a plan. We do serve an impossible God.