I sometimes wonder what a normal weekend might look like. My usual weekends include the last minute preparations for Sunday, watching Bedford Athletic play rugby (when it's a home game), trying to spend time with Anne and Ally (since learning to swim, we've tried to go once over the weekend when we get the chance), and doing all the jobs that haven't been done so far that week.
Every second weekend we're now looking to do some form of outreach event in the context of servant evangelism and this coming weekend I've got a day away with the church leadership team.
So what was strange about this last weekend? Well, for the first time as far as I can remember I was asked to go and visit someone to tell them a relative of theirs was dying. The family wanted then to hear the news in person, not via the telephone and given the distance involved, they called me and asked me to visit and share the news. It's not an easy thing to do.
There is a real sense of privilege that goes with being asked to serve a family in this way. It's unnerving too, but to be trusted with such a task far outweighs the inconvenience of having to alter your schedule to make the visit.
So I drove the 6 miles and sat down and shared the news. I made a few calls on behalf of the person receiving the news and we talked. We chatted about the person who was dying, about memories and all sorts of stuff. On Sunday I went back to share the news that death had finally come and the waiting was over.
What other role could I play that would give me such access to the ordinary lives of ordinary people who need the touch of our extraordinary God?
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