I freaked out a bit when I flicked through my wardrobe and worried that none of my clothes fitted the ‘code’, so I went shopping. I took a photo in the changing rooms and sent it to my sister like ‘Is this business wear?!’ After spending more than I’d have liked on new trousers, shoes and a shirt, I was ready for the meeting.
As I arrived in London, I received a message to say that the meeting had been moved last minute to a café. There was no space inside and so we sat outside on a tiny table in the wind, a far cry from the super posh location that I’d imagined.
On the train home I felt frustrated that I’d spent a load of money on new clothes but had actually ended up sat in my coat on a windy London side street.
During this lead up to Christmas I’ve been thinking about the word ‘Emmanuel’ which means God with us. How incredible that the God who made the stars, the mountains, the creatures of the wild and the deep would want to meet with us.
There’s a verse in the well-known Christmas carol In the bleak midwinter that goes like this:
What can I give Him poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb.
If I were a wise man, I would do my part.
Yet what I can, I give Him: give my heart.
That day in London I had to present myself differently, I had to change my ‘every day’ look to be acceptable in that new environment. Something I’m always grateful for is that no matter what we look like, what we’ve said or done or how we feel, God always invites us to come to Him just as we are.
In the Bible Jesus didn’t say come and follow me once you’ve got your life sorted, He simply said ‘Come, follow me’. Over 2,000 years later millions of people still are following Him.
If we choose to follow God, with our permission He begins the deep work of changing us for the better. All He asks for is that we follow Him with our whole hearts, which is definitely something to think about this Christmas.
Photo by Robert Bye
