Come as You Are
Kia ora e te whānau,
It’s spring! The slightly (if you’re in Wellington) warmer days are a sure sign that good weather is on its way.
Spring is a season of new life, of refreshing and renewal. It’s time when the bleakest of circumstances can look brighter and better—it’s incredible what a bit more vitamin D can do for us!
It’s also a natural time to renew how we connect with God. I’m a morning runner and this is when I pray and connect with our Father. It’s also a time when I connect with all the regular passersby who are also running or walking at the same time each day. When I haven’t seen one of them for a while I worry. I don’t know their names or anything about them, just that I pass and exchange greetings with them at a certain point on my route each day, but they have become daily connections. Connection to our communities is vital for us as humans. It’s also vital to us spiritually.
God really wants to connect with us. He wants our problems, our fears, our worries, our weaknesses and all the dark things that are holding us back from entering into a deeper relationship with Him. Come As You Are (the awesome Catholic hymn, not the awesome song by Nirvana) tells us to go to Jesus just as we are because that’s how He wants us:
‘Come as you are, that’s how I love you.
Come as you are, trust Me again.
Nothing can change the love that I bear you.
All will be well, just come as you are.’
When we connect with Him, we become stronger and our burdens become lighter. In turn, He is glorified and we bring Him joy.
In this issue, we explore the multiple ways that modern believers are connecting with God. On page 16, Kelly Cooper looks at how people are using digital platforms to get closer to God. The changing shape of the modern church and how people are coming to Christ is explored by Holly Morton-Chong on page 20. A lot of us struggle to get enough God into our daily lives, so some different ways to do this are covered on page 26.
I pray that reading this issue will bring you closer to our Saviour.
The magazine can be viewed either as an online magazine on Issuu, or the bulk of the articles, leadership links, news, and shorter reflections (Grace Notes) have been added into their various sections.
I welcome your feedback and suggestions, and also your photos, letters, crafts and stories. Please email: salt@salvationarmy.org.nz
Magazine Contents
Articles
The Path for Young Farmers Starts at Jeff Farm
Leadership Links
Faith Stories
Finding Your Way into God’s Word
