How often do you pray?  Today that answer is typically, “not enough”.  It seems that McCheyne also felt that his prayer life was lacking.  After a three week period of sickness, where Robert was laid up in bed, he penned these words about prayer:

“…how reluctant we are [in prayer].  I cannot doubt that boldness if offered me to enter into the holiest of all; I cannot doubt my right and title to enter continually by the new and bloody way; I cannot doubt that when I do enter in, I stand not only forgiven, but accepted in the Beloved; I cannot doubt that when I do enter in, the Spirit is wiling and ready to descend like a dove, “enabling me to pray in the Holy Ghost”; and that Jesus is ready to rise up as my intercessor with the Father, praying for me though not for the world; and that the prayer-hearing God is ready to bend his ear to requests which He delights to hear and answer; I cannot doubt that thus to dwell in God is the true blessedness of my nature; and yet, strange unaccountable creature!  I am too often unwilling to enter in.  I go about and about the sanctuary, and I sometimes press in through the [torn curtain], and see the blessedness of dwelling there to be far better than that of tents of wickedness; yet it is certain that I do not dwell within.” 

This is an amazing reminder of what has been opened for us in prayer as well as a great encouragement to dwell in that blessed state of prayer. 

I keep hearing this phrase, “people like Jesus but not the church”.  The other evening on our local radio station the DJ was expressing his agreement with that statement.  He even went as far as to say something to the effect of: “when you read the NT it is really hard to not like Jesus, who spreads a message of love and peace and hope”.  The problem is that Jesus’ followers often do not match up to his ideals.  The problem that unbelievers have with Christianity is not Jesus but His followers. 

Granted, Christians can be really stupid.  I say that because I am a Christian and I say and do some really stupid things.  There are many times in my life when I am not accurately representing Jesus.  I could certainly see why someone would like Jesus better than me.  That seems to be a no-brainer. 

But, is this idea of “we like Jesus but not the church” really the whole story?  I am left wondering whether it is the biblical Jesus that they like so much.  After all wasn’t this same Jesus the one that instigated a mob cry of “crucify Him”?  Isn’t this the same Jesus that caused people to turn the other way because He sounded like a weird cannibal?  Isn’t this the same Jesus that said some really harsh things to the Pharisees?  (That’s okay, though, nobody likes the Pharisees, especially closet Pharisees).

While I agree that such a statement may very well  be true, I also have to say that I am not certain that such a phrase is really helpful.  Something tells me that Jesus would not make a statement like this:  “Folks really like me, but unfortunately I cannot gain more followers, because the one’s that I do have are screwed up.”  No!  Jesus really does love his bride.  And can you really say that it is possible to love Jesus and not His bride?  I find it unhelpful to say something about ourselves that the Lord Himself is not willing to say. 

So, let’s be really honest in an era where church bashing is fun: If people are repulsed by the Church they are repulsed by Jesus.  The Church, warts and all, is a product of Jesus.  It is after all HIS Church. 

Have you ever carefully considered the songs/hymns we sing in our worship services? I mean really dug down deep to ponder the things we proclaim to all who would hear our voices united in praise?

Since, this blog is named after a Robert Murray McCheyne quote I thought it may be fitting to feature a McCheyne quote or story.  You have heard of Tuesday’s with Morrie; welcome to Tuesday’s with Robert.

At the age of 20 a young McCheyne heard unwelcome news of a family friend rejecting Christ and embracing the world.  Upon hearing “that she was determined to keep by the world,” he penned the following poem: