Gathered together

Last week I sat in an Alpha group in prison, and one woman summed it all up better than I ever could, “I’ve learned my life is a car-crash if God doesn’t drive. So, every morning I hand him the keys”.

I had that in my mind as I heard the news about Charlie Kirk. Such tragic waste – a car crash with multiple lives mangled - his wife and children left without a dad,, Tyler, only 22, so twisted as to think he could win an argument with a bullet, Tyler’s family whose son’s future has been thrown away and who will never escape the world’s horror. So sad.

Where is comfort to be found? It is here - God grieves with us.  Today, I read of Jesus lamenting over Jerusalem, “Oh Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings” (Luke 13:34)

I had always read that verse as meaning God longs to gather us near him, which he does, but actually here Jesus speaks of his longing to gather us together. It is such a profound longing in the heart of God that the Maker of all grieves when we are divided. How much then does God grieve over his world, when his church fractures, when his children fight?

God grieves. But we need to know this is not a passive grief but the grief that propelled the Saviour to the Cross, to the place where we are reconciled with him and with each other.

God so longs for us to be together. That’s why Paul says – “Make every effort to keep the unity of the bond of peace”. It is an effort – when politics and religion and misunderstandings and grudges and social media divide us. We need to hear that this is the fierce longing of God.

Last week, an amazing group of people gathered to launch Ashes to Crowns in London – people from different political perspectives and backgrounds, joining together for a common vision to bring comfort to many. It was a hugely joyful night, a reminder that God brings beauty from ashes, a reminder of a promise of hope that arches over the brokenness of this world, a hope that brings us together. If you would like to see a little taster of the content of Ashes to Crowns – you can watch it here.

May the God of hope give you hope today, whatever you are facing,

With my love,

Kate