Women of Welcome: Christ-Like WelcomeSample

CHRIST-LIKE WELCOME: A Reflection from Jill Briscoe

Have you ever been too worried to worship, too frantic for fellowship, too powerless to pray, too low to love? I have. And it is in these moments that Jesus especially welcomes us—again and again.

Too worried to worship, to pray, or to read, The Scripture to help me, my sad soul to feed! Too anxious to pray, too sad to sing praise, Too worried to worship in my sad and dark days.

Too frantic to seek a good friend in my pain, To remember that friends can encourage again. So distracted by worry my sad heart in tears Breath coming in gasps—I give in to my fears.

Lord, meet in this moment this child needing care— Hold me close to your heart, Lord, encourage me there; I hear your voice calling to help “one like me” Then I’ll find, in the helping, a heart that’s set free!

Free to love others so I’ll do what I’m told, Spend and be spent whether young, whether old; Then I’m suddenly conscious of peace in the pain And, whatever the turmoil, of gracing again.

So just be obedient, whatever you feel, Do it worried or spent, in your heart, “stop and kneel”— Give reign to the spirit, whatever the past, Then know joy in the journey of loving at last!

May the Spirit of God give wings to these words, that you may be drawn closer to him as he welcomes you into a closer walk with him, and as you invite others to come with you.