Well, it is a new experience for me to blog. I wonder if it is possible to teach this "old dog" a new trick. Well I will give it a try.
A few days ago, Patty, my wife, was getting into her car when she discovered a blue bird had flown into the garage to escape from the cold and to find shelter. Her attempts to get the bird out failed. As I prepared to leave, I realized that when I closed the door, the shelter of the garage would turn into a prison for the blue bird. Inside its walls, there would be no food or water. Over a period of time, it would die.
While the shelter of the garage brought warmth, shelter and a sense of refreshment from nature's harsh weather, the bird could not survive inside. His environment to thrive was outside.
For followers of Christ, we often find warmth, shelter and sense of refreshment in being part of the church. Coming to church and participating is important to our spiritual well-being. But we are not made to "live" in the church. We have a mission out in the world. We must take what we have received from Christ and share it with the world. We must stretch our wings and fly into what at times is a harsh environment to share the good things God has given us. We are called to serve the world.
