I have not been called to this. The easy chair. (Or, the easy crowd.) Though I confess? There are days I wish I were.
Simply put, God has called me to the Prodigal-Church.
You know, the ones referred to as:
- The Messy-misfits.
- The Raucous-runaways.
- The Wrecked and Wounded.
The “ones” who have heard it all before and just ain’t listening anymore.
(Yeah, them.)
These are the “ones” who are severely bruised, deeply disappointed and maybe even pissed off at God, The Church, or all of the above.
Nope, not an easy crowd.
But, you know what else? God passionately loves these that many folks just privately hope will “go away” leaving us in ‘The Good Church’ to our sleepy tranquility.
(Yeah.)
I know because I was one of these prodigals, and truth be known? Sometimes I still am. A ticked-off that is—not prodigal.
I still get angry, because many of these folks have been brutally beat-up good-n’-proper. Perhaps they “once upon a time” believed. But, now? Now, they ain’t havin’ anything to do with it! They have hit the dusty trail, and now have turtle-shells, thick-n’-crusty, around once trusting hearts.
Yet… they are STILL HIS. And perhaps, are MORE WANTED than they were in the beginning. Before it all went wrong in their lives.
Make no mistake about it—He still calls them BELOVED, and He longs for them to come home to Him. These the Saints consider rabble-rousers, and futile-flotsam, He calls with infinite tenderness, “My Beloved.
I believe this because—I was one of them when He came after me.
(And I do understand how “The Church” feels.)
I fondly remember the days of easy crowds and occupying easy chairs. (Yeah, I confess.) All gone now, and it’s okay–because I believe someone needs to reach Wounded Sheep–all those Prickly-Prodigals with crusty shells around hearts that have stopped believing in anyone calling themselves Christian.
Those walking away from our churches—taking the back door out. Yep, they’re my assignment. My mission. My project.
Broken Vessels Recovery Project
(To be more exact.)
- Some in The Church say they are MIA.
- Some know they are AWOL.
But whatever “they“ might believe? Know this.
- They are His.
- They are loved.
- His very own Beloved.
(And wounded or wrecked—He wants them back! )
Women With Destiny 