You Belong Here
I thought about Cheers as I was listening to Kyle Matthews’ new CD, The Main Event. Yes, I’m still recommending that you go to kylematthews.com and get yourself a copy of the CD. I make no apologies for that. If you know Ken Medema’s music, you can clearly hear his influence in “You Belong Here”.
Do you remember what almost always happened when George Wendt’s character walked in? The whole place shouted, “NORM!” How could you not feel welcome when the whole place greets you like that? I’m not suggesting that we become a bar, but the church needs to be that friendly and welcoming. Jesus said that creating an atmosphere like that will demonstrate to the world that we are indeed His followers.This is a dream I have: that there might be a place
Where, before I cross the threshold, they recognize my face.
They’ve been expecting me. The table has been set.
My bed’s already made and they speak to me this way:
You are welcome in this family, you are wanted in this place,
You have value to your Maker that your past cannot erase.
There is room for all your searching, there is music for your song.
There are shoulders you can cry on and the strength to carry on.
You belong here. Welcome home.
What am I striving for when this is in my reach?
Could I become the refuge some weary traveler seeks?
And as I let them in will my life not be changed
To give the love I long for and be unafraid to say
You are welcome in this family, you are wanted in this place,
You have value to your Maker that your past cannot erase.
There is room for all your searching, there is music for your song.
There are shoulders you can cry on and the strength to carry on.
You belong here. Welcome home.
I will throw the door wide open, run to meet you at the gate,
There will be a glad reunion, we have much to celebrate.
You belong here. Welcome home.
That’s enough to think about for now. The peace of Christ to you.
posted by Morris at
4:47 PM
1 Comments:
OK, it feels a little bit funny commenting on my own blog, but I must add this in order not to be misunderstood:
"The fellowship toward which many congregations aim, mistakenly seeking the 'atmosphere' for worshp, is a product of worship, not its cause. Our fellowship comes from being grafted into the same body by the experience of Christ in our midst. In Christ our relationship is not merely togetherness, it is oneness." (Paul A. Richardson, The Primacy of Worship quoting H. Grady Hardin, Joseph D. Quillar, Jr., and James F. White) REVIEW AND EXPOSITOR 85 (1988).
One could easily read the main post and not get the fact that it is true worship (not just the "make me feel good" stuff that often passes for worship) that will create that atmosphere of welcome and acceptance that may enable an "outsider" to encounter the God of love Whom we seek to follow.
That's really enough to think about for now.
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