Same but different

Sometimes you read something that you have read a thousand times before but suddenly it comes at you in a different way. Two such experiences happened to me recently.

Just the other day I was reading in Revelation about the church of Laodicea and the verse that struck me was v 20: 'Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him and he with me.' I have always thought of that verse in reference to those who are not converted. But in the context it is clear that these words are for churchgoers!

The other reference was when I was reading 'Intelligent Church', a new book by Steve Chalke. In it he comments about Jesus washing the disciples' feet: 'I often wonder why it is that of the two commands Jesus gave the disciples that day (the day before he was crucified) - to wash each other's feet and to remember him when they ate bread and drank wine - only one has been adopted as a church tradition. Why is it we celebrate Communion, but we don't have foot-washing services?' Maybe it is easier to share a symbolic meal than to wash feet! Steve Chalke suggests that maybe we should adopt the towel as a symbol of Christianity (I rather like that idea!)- 'your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus who ... made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant ...' (Philippians 2:5,7)

I'm sure many will have always thought of these verses this way but for me they came alive in a different way this week. Thank God that He never stops teaching us.