A Leaky Boat Will Still Float
I have been thinking about church, the people, as a whole and as individuals.
The Bible instructs us to not give up meeting together in worship with the saints.
It also commands that we practice hospitality ~ usually referred to as fellowship.
Is there any such thing as a perfect church? Nope ~ not going to find it. Picture this: Church is like a leaky boat navigating the sinful waters of the world. The shark infested waters await hungrily to devour a falling saint.
Why is it leaky? Because it is not perfect. But, you know ~ A Leaky Boat Still Floats! What do we have to do to keep it floating ~Bail water like your life really depended on it. Yes, that yucky, sinful, worldly water has a tendency to creep into the boat(church). If it were only one person bailing water the boat would surely sink. That is why we all need to be in the boat bailing water (fighting sin and its effects) because our lives DO depend on it. It is sad to see some hapless person fed up with bailing(fighting sin) and choose to just jump in the water (not attending church).
We are not meant as Christians to go it alone. Look in the Bible, in Genesis when the world was still perfect and the relationship between Adam and God was unbroken. Everything God had done up to that point was proclaimed "Good". Notice how in all of this perfection, God proclaims that is NOT GOOD for man to be alone. Hello? We are created for relationship, relationship with God and others. Now that the world is full of sin, it is truly hard work cultivating relationships in the world and even in the church. But it is GOOD WORK that God has given us.
It takes all of us! So let's pull up our sleeves, grab a bucket and bail that water together. Creating, nurturing, and sustaining relationships is what is needed to keep us in the boat and out of the shark infested waters. Even if the sharks don't get you, you will surely drown alone. Let's not make anyone walk the plank(judgement)either, Love covers over a multitude of sin! Instead let's throw out life saving floatation devices and reel in(evangelism)those who are thrashing about in the deathly waters. In the boat(salvation)they get their bucket and bail like there is no tomorrow. Because you know, we are not promised tomorrow. So I ask you now, where's your bucket? A leaky boat will still float, but it will surely sink if no one is bailing.
The Bible instructs us to not give up meeting together in worship with the saints.
It also commands that we practice hospitality ~ usually referred to as fellowship.
Is there any such thing as a perfect church? Nope ~ not going to find it. Picture this: Church is like a leaky boat navigating the sinful waters of the world. The shark infested waters await hungrily to devour a falling saint.
Why is it leaky? Because it is not perfect. But, you know ~ A Leaky Boat Still Floats! What do we have to do to keep it floating ~Bail water like your life really depended on it. Yes, that yucky, sinful, worldly water has a tendency to creep into the boat(church). If it were only one person bailing water the boat would surely sink. That is why we all need to be in the boat bailing water (fighting sin and its effects) because our lives DO depend on it. It is sad to see some hapless person fed up with bailing(fighting sin) and choose to just jump in the water (not attending church).
We are not meant as Christians to go it alone. Look in the Bible, in Genesis when the world was still perfect and the relationship between Adam and God was unbroken. Everything God had done up to that point was proclaimed "Good". Notice how in all of this perfection, God proclaims that is NOT GOOD for man to be alone. Hello? We are created for relationship, relationship with God and others. Now that the world is full of sin, it is truly hard work cultivating relationships in the world and even in the church. But it is GOOD WORK that God has given us.
It takes all of us! So let's pull up our sleeves, grab a bucket and bail that water together. Creating, nurturing, and sustaining relationships is what is needed to keep us in the boat and out of the shark infested waters. Even if the sharks don't get you, you will surely drown alone. Let's not make anyone walk the plank(judgement)either, Love covers over a multitude of sin! Instead let's throw out life saving floatation devices and reel in(evangelism)those who are thrashing about in the deathly waters. In the boat(salvation)they get their bucket and bail like there is no tomorrow. Because you know, we are not promised tomorrow. So I ask you now, where's your bucket? A leaky boat will still float, but it will surely sink if no one is bailing.
