Dan and Becky

Today was the first day i really missed being at home. Today Dan and Becki got married. I love these guys, and i'm so happy that the Lord has bought them to this stage.

I don't remember exactly the first time i met Becki. She was our on guest on the Christianity Explored course that i was involved in during the summer term of my third year at Reading. Me, Nicola, Mandy Hoops and Hops made something of a dream team, and those long light evenings watching Becky being won for Christ are among some of my favourite moments at uni. I love nothing more than talking about the glorious Gospel of grace, and do that with good friends and with someone unsaved was a great way to spend those Monday evenings. Becky first responded to the Gospel at FrontEdge at Reading Family Church in may (i think 2005). I can still remember watching her go up to the front to pray and repent. I think i sat behind her in the meeting as well. It was great. Becky really catches a lot of what CU should be about. Introduced by CU members to a church where she was able to plug in and serve faithfully. It's been great watching her grow in the last couple of years. 

I also don't remember the first time i met Dan. He was the boyfriend that came to pick Becky up from Christianity Explored, which i liked a lot! I remember sitting next to him talking after a meeting one sunday, a few weeks after Becky got saved. I can't remember what i said but the gist was 'the Gospel's true so hurry up and get saved'. Ah, such apologetic flair! That wednesday by the time we arrived for Cell group at Scott's house, he had 'prayed the prayer' and was joyfully added to our number. It was a joy to serve alongside Dan on the set up team. He is one of the most genuine and funny guys i've ever known. I've already shared that the SUPA team was more about the fellowship than the chairs for me, and Dan was a key part of that. I was never anything other than encouraged by our time together. He's a top guy.

Guys if you read this, i miss you, it's a joy to call you my brother and sister, and i wish you all the Christ exalting marriage happiness in the world. 

What i learn from goodbyes

That the Gospel is true, or better, worthwhile.

Now, of course if the Gospel was neither of these things i'd have never gone to Bulgaria in the first place, but saying goodbye to people and places that i love teaches me that the Gospel is worth doing so. If it wasn't i'd stay in a church i love, doing a job i love with people as close to me as my family. But the Gospel is worth the tears, Matthew 24:14 is true, so we press on.

That we weren't meant for broken relationships.

Look at Genesis 1-2, any broken relationships? Any goodbyes? No. The reason saying good bye to people is hard and feels wrong is because our hearts weren't made for the transitory. They were made for the eternal. They weren't made for saying goodbye, but for enjoying extended fellowship that never ends. Our sin, my sin has broken that, and for a while, a short while, we must live with the consequences. And yes, a million times yes, it's not Heaven if Christ isn't there, but i'm looking forward to not saying goodbye to my friends ever again!

That Church is a great idea.

If you care about the spread of the Gospel, you care about the local church. I would never want to be in a church that i didn't weep for the last time i pulled out of the car park, never want to follow men who i didn't hate saying goodbye to. Never want to be part of a SUPA team that wasn't more about 9AM banter than chairs. I'd never want to do this Christian thing on my own, thank God i'll never have to.

That there's a world outside England and my career.

The world's getting smaller all the time. But it's still huge. Phone calls make us feel like we're in the same room, but four thousand miles is still a long way. But the nations are out there, and they need reaching, the world doesn't stop at the Bristol Channel, there are people needing salvation everywhere, and how will they hear unless we tell them. Why not stay in Reading? Earn a few more quid and build a proper life there? Why not do a long term job, my dream job in many ways, with a mission agency i adore. Because there's a world outside of it, because God has called me there, and because my 'career' or being somewhere that people value my opinion on things ultimately doesn't matter at all. When i look into His face, i'll only ever wish i'd given Him more.

That in all these things, Christ is magnified.

No cross, no good things to be sad about saying bye to. No cross, no good things to look forward to. No cross, only Hell forever. The Gospel is worth it because Christ is worth it, moving is worth it because Christ is worth it. And something else. Through all these punctured relationships, one is unchanged. One is still the same. Christ is with me, for comfort, vision, hope, strength, joy and best of all, salvation leading to Himself. And in the final reckoning, He is all anyone needs.