Have just finished re-reading a book by Adrian Plass, called “The Unlocking (God’s Escape Plan for Frightened People)”. I highly recommend his books – you get to meet Jesus while alternately laughing and crying… This one is a book for Easter – a devotional from Shrove Tuesday to Easter Sunday. He calls it a “Let’s-look-honestly-at-where-we-are-now-and-talk-to-God-about-moving-to-somewhere-else” sort of book…..
It’s not a how-to, or deeply theological/Hebrew/Greek roots etc kind of book. Just God, really….
Here’s an excerpt I wanted to share…
Come and meet Jesus
You are standing alone outside the door of a huge, dark old traditional church, somewhere in the depths of East Anglia. It is a weekday evening in late autumn. Dusk has fallen and it seems most unlikely that the church will have been left unlocked and vulnerable in such a desolate area. But a cold November wind is whistling through the poorly tended graveyard, so you decide it might be worth a try. To your surprise, both the outer and inner doors are unlocked, and you are able to pass easily, if rather timidly, to the interior of the building, shutting the heavy old door carefully behind you as you go. You are a little worried that someone may be doing something important inside. They might be annoyed by your intrusion.
There is someone there. Behind the altar rail, far away at the opposite end of the church, lit by a large candle on either side of him, a man is facing you – waiting quietly. Somehow you know it’s Jesus, and that he wants to give communion to you with his own hands. You very nearly give in to the temptation to escape. It would be so easy to pull the studded oak door open and run through the porch into the cold night. Instead, you walk towards the altar with your head bowed, frightened to meet his steady gaze because – because. You kneel at the rail and wait, still looking at the floor. A moment later you become aware that he has knelt too. His hand is gently lifting your chin until you can’t help looking straight into his eyes. He speaks softly to you.
What does he say?
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You can find more of his writing at adrianplass.com
In the meantime…. as we travel towards Easter….
What did he say to you? 😀
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