If God were Central

I was at a meeting today that opened with a devotional delivered by Dr. JF Lacaria. He based it on Psalm 62. He read it from The Message. Go and read it -- it's a great Psalm, and it was especially inspiring to hear JF read it in this paraphrase.

He then told a story from his recent mission trip to South Africa. A Methodist church -- Central Methodist Church -- has opened its building to refugees from Zimbabwe to spend the night. Each evening they have a worship service with communion, and then over three hundred people find a place to sleep in or near the building.

My help and glory are in God
—granite-strength and safe-harbor-God—
So trust him absolutely, people;
lay your lives on the line for him.
God is a safe place to be.

This is what church is meant to be. It is meant to be Central. It is designed by God to give us a foundation -- a strong connectional place, where we can go when the world is crashing around us. A safe harbor. We have a God we can trust absolutely.

Do we only realize that when we are in trouble? Do we truly know it when we are safe and sound -- not in danger. How would life be changed if we knew that -- daily -- our help and glory are in God. How would life change if God were Central?

Image: Stained glass from John XXIII.