Just get a bigger table!

Have you ever just been talking to someone, and in the midst of the conversation, they drop some knowledge on you, that literally is so simple you should have thought of it yourself before you even woke up, yet so profound that it literally takes you 5 minutes to pick your brain up off the floor to continue the conversation. They say it just in passing yet, it doesn’t just pass, its stays, it inspires and pushes you forward in your thinking?

You know what an oasis is, a place in the desert where people that are thirsty can go to drink. Where those that are tired from their journey can find rest and people that are searching can find what they need. Have you ever been to an oasis? I have, it was in a city called Thun, in Switzerland. Susannah and her band of disciples live, eat, and pray together in the confines of their 4 rather large walls. This intense community of believers are sharing life together in the rawest form.
What I learned to love and to inspired about this safe haven, was that it’s not closed, the door is literally always open (even maybe when it shouldn’t be!) The house is located right in between a night club, which is open 5 days a week till 3.30 am and a house that will be used by the local governing body to administer heroin and methadone to keep addicts from the streets. What a place to pray, what a position of influence to be in!
Not content with the position, this little community extends its hospitality to the city’s poor, a once a month Brunch for the homeless, the moneyless and the lonely goes so far to building the kingdom we so long to see.
Born out of a vision to live as a community of ‘followers of the way’, sharing life, learning from each other, discipleship and prayer this place is so much more than just a community house. We met various people over those few days that had been influenced by this vision and had subsequently had their lives changed, it really was an inspiration.

“When I was hungry, you gave me something to eat, When I was thirsty, you gave me something to drink...! Never before have these words from the Boss been so simply and clearly expressed before my eyes but in this case. Here I would also think a few more could be added to the sentence, you didn’t just feed me, you gave me a flipping top layout of food, you sang to me, played music, made me feel like part of the family, and you showed me love” isn’t that in itself, the most important commandment of all.

In our journey to learn all we can about Christ centred community, one of the deepest yet simple bits of advice was dropped in an ordinary conversation after dinner. “If you really wanna start doing community, all you need to do is get yourself a bigger table, and fill it!” and I guess like in the bible if those that are invited don’t come, go to the streets and the fields invite all you find to come and eat with me.

Amen sister. Be Blessed.