With the American presidential elections on, people are taking sides on a variety of issues.

Jesus too mentioned the need to take sides: “he who is not for me is against me”. We should ask, what does Jesus have in mind? what does Jesus see as being for him?

For most of us. agreeing means we agree to a thought or idea. But there is more. Jesus is looking for a deep heart agreement that shows in action. The Pharisees claim to seek God’s will as Jesus does; but they were unable to discern Jesus identity and mission. What about us? How much of the person and purpose of Jesus do we really understand and live for?

So many things can get in the way. The fear of failure, the cost of sacrifice, the possible rejection, the approval of man. None of these can be overcome by clear thinking alone. Indeed, without being on our knees in desperation because we realise how fraudulent we can be, there is no way for grace to lift us up and set us upon a rock.

Now, when grace has been poured out; stand up, be strong and be courageous.

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“Member?” the cashier at the NTUC check-out routinely asks.

The question is meant to elicit a twinge of regret at the loss one will suffer for not being a member – no discounts, rebates or freebies.

This is our understanding of membership today. Membership = privileges. The chief end of all membership today is ‘what’s in it for me?’.

I wonder how much of this expectation has crept into our other uses of ‘member’ – of family, profession, church. What does it mean to be a member of a family? what does it mean to be a fellow-doctor or teacher? What does it mean to be a church member?

The current climate not just of ‘me’ but ‘me first’, makes this worse. We easily start with what we deserve, need, want…and find a way to explain things to ourselves. We can even make it sound noble and giving!

But we cannot fool God.

In his wisdom, one of the correctives for this is his call to us to be part of the church. To God, church means a supernatural gathering of His people who witness and confront the world. To God, church means a divinely bonded people who will care and sacrifice. To God, church means a glimpse of heaven, of the way things are meant to be.

Wow!

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