It takes a village to build, nurture and restore relationships (IV) Safe places

There is something of a Catch-22 in the gospel. The good news makes no sense until we know the bad news that “All things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account” (Hebrews 4:13). On the other hand is almost impossible to come to out of denial about the bad news, until we know the good news that “God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their sins against them” (2 Corinthians 5:19). We need to know that God is a safe place, and that we can come boldly before the throne of grace to obtain mercy and grace to help (Hebrews 4:16). In practice coming out of denial is a process as we learn to hold both truths in tension. In fact part of growing in Christ, is progressively learning to live as a little child, knowing that we are flawed but at the same time loved and fully accepted.

Part of the Christian journey then is learning experientially that God is a safe place. In particular we need to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that when we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us, to cleanse us from all unrighteousness, and will choose to remember our sins and iniquities no more (1 John 1:9; Isaiah 43:25). Since we are to be imitators of God (Ephesians 5:1), then we too need to be safe places, extending grace and mercy to each other, and forgiving and loving each other. It is not however, intended to stop with the individual. We need to be, and to create safe communities (villages). Only then will the world looks at us and exclaim “Look how they love one another!” And we will not create safe communities, if our individual relationships are not safe. And our individual relationships will not be safe until we ourselves become safe.

Becoming safe will not happen in isolation. Most of our woundings occur in relationships. We get hurt in relationships, and we heal in relationships, not in isolation! So then restoration and reconciliation needs to start in the place where the evil one is focusing his attention in this day and age, on marriages and families. In part II of this series of posts I suggested that in order to cooperate with the Lord in his agenda to heal broken hearts and set captives free (Luke 4:18), the church needs to teach Biblically-based recovery principles. Small groups are an extremely useful tool in helping to put these principles into practice. We need to utilize all the gifting’s of the body of Christ. We need people who have struggled and overcome, to come alongside those who are still struggling. This is already happening in para church organizations such as twelve-step programs. It needs to come into the church, and we need to be humble enough to take advantage of their experience, and in particular to learn from them about creating safe places.

Father, I am learning from those who seem to know about these things, that revivals seem to stop because the leaders have not dealt with their issues, and in particular have not had their hearts healed. And it seems to me that is why You are opening up more and more ministries that embrace Your recovery agenda to heal broken hearts and set captives free. We have a long way to go Father, but when we fully yield to You, then all things are possible. So I pray again this morning Lord, Kingdom of God, will of God be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Let it start with me Lord, in Jesus Name Amen