Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.   Matthew 11:28

Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.  John 8:11

The english language is a curious vehicle for communication.  I mean I’ve never understood the “s” in island or “g” in gnat.  Think if you were a young”s” and hoping to be in the word like stupendous or service and you end up stuck in island!  And don’t get me started on tele ph one or ele ph ant.  Sorry I digress.

So like I say the english language can be confusing enough and then the way we use it can cause even greater problems.  If you’ve heard the phrase “a come to Jesus meeting”, you have probably heard it in the context that it will not be a pleasant experience.  Normally it is a meeting full of contentions and often as not run by one leader berating those whom he leads or a shouting match where all are getting their points out; vehemently.

Now rest assured there were times when Jesus berated people.  Normally, it was the people in religious power who were not following the words of Our Father, God and going their own ways.  But even at those times, often it was the other parties who started the discourse to try and trip Jesus up and it was His inescapable truth which would shut them down.

In truth, how I wish we would have more “come to Jesus meetings”.  For what does He promise from those meetings?  In Matthew he promises if you are weighed down by the burdens of this life and your body, mind and soul are troubled then come to have a meeting with me and I will give you rest.  When a hostile crowd brought a woman caught in the very act of adultery (where the man was I don’t know) and the crowd wanted a violent, come to Jesus meeting end; Jesus quieted the crowd and sent them away pondering their own lack of forgiveness.  And then He had mercy on her and set her free.

Yes we need come to Jesus meetings regularly where we can feel the sense of our burdens being lifted, our troubles, shames and disappointments being laid aside, our tortured souls being mended.  We need Jesus meetings where we practice forgiveness not judgement.  Where it is not about our voice, our will but listening to His.  Those are meetings we never want to leave and where we come out refreshed, reenergized, full of love and charity.

Dear Jesus Christ thank you for offering come to Jesus meetings and please make it a priority for me and all who call on You to have one today.

Amen