Church...I'm loving it.

We had a great church today. Continuing in our series on gospel change with my bro Tim. (btw, he's revamped his blog and it's good!)

It was beautiful to think on the cross again. We sang (twice) one of my all time faves- "At the foot of the cross..." and considered some of Amy Carmichael's "IF" poems.

If I myself dominate myself, if my thoughts revolve round myself, if I am so occupied with myself I rarely have "a heart at leisure from itself," then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I cannot in honest happiness take the second place (or the twentieth); if I cannot take the first without making a fuss about my unworthiness, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I want to be known as the doer of something that has proved the right thing, or as the one who suggested that it should be done, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If in the fellowship of service I seek to attach a friend to myself, so that others are caused to feel unwanted; if my friendships do not draw others deeper in, but are ungenerous (to myself, for myself), then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I slip into the place that can be filled by Christ alone, making myself the first necessity of a soul instead of leading it to fasten upon Him, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

She's a woman I'd love to have met.

Later it was an amazing roast lamb dinner with integrated communion.
I must say, I do like to have communion as part of a real communal meal. We had the bread (big naan bread) and wine on the meal table so when people come and get their meal, those trusting in Christ serve the bread and wine to each other with words of joyful encouragement. I really do not like the solemn, individualistic praying quietly to myself with no engagement with the body type approach (REALLY don't like it!). It so undermines what it is all about. Why do we always get so religious about it?

A good piece on the matter from someone here (I don't know him but it's good).