pearl

"There aren't a lot of Margarets," the lady said.

Which, of course, in the most obvious sense is simply not true at all. Especially if you count all the Maggies and Peggies and Megs and that sort of thing.

But she didn't mean it in that sense.

We were talking at lunch, after the midweek service. This was the first time this lady called Joan had been there. She'd been brought by a friend who's been serving the Lord over many a year.

And, well, she's more than just a friend. She's sort of embodied Jesus, I guess, to loads of folk. Including this friend who'd been brought by her here today.

This 'more than just a friend' is Margaret.

And Joan was expressing her sense of the blessing that Margaret's been over all this time.

And, yes, I can see, there aren't many like her.

Joan was talking about the quality of relationship she'd known with Margaret over the years and the help and the strength such friendship from Margaret brought.

She was stating again how important relationships are. It's as much through them as anything else that the good news of Jesus becomes so real for so many different folk.

That's why we have the lunch as part of the package on Wednesday afternoons. The service of worship and the meal that we share together.

Engaging with God and engaging with one another. The two belong together.

Relationships.

There's always preparation to be done, of course, for the lunchtime service. And that took a bit of the morning.

We're seeking to learn. Seeking to see how the message the Bible proclaims relates to the world of today.

I think there were one or two present today who were slightly taken aback to see just how closely the message related to issues that are very real today. Eyes got a little bit opened.

Later I had to go and see someone on matters relating to work. At their place of work.

Now I know the lady a bit. I've conducted a family funeral. And over a period of years I've seen her and talked in a way that's ensured a bit of relationship's grown.

And today, though we started on 'business' things, she then got to talking about family cares. A situation that's arisen with an aunt (whom I've met).

I listened as she ran through the story. Then I said to let the aunt know I was asking for her and would be praying for her in this situation.

And as we chatted on a bit it became quite clear to me that I should take the thing one step further on. So I said how potent it is when two folk join together in prayer to pray for God's help in a given situation.

Would she like to pray with me? Like here and now.

So we prayed.

In her office.

She was grateful, and conscious, I think, that maybe a corner was turned. She cares for her aunt. And the Lord cares, too, of course. It was just a case of marrying the two as it were.

I doubt if I was there much more than ten minutes in all.

But it felt like a 'God-encounter'. One of those moments when the kingdom of God takes root in the soil of this world.

And the only way it happened was on the back of that relationship which has taken all these years to gradually build.

The name 'Margaret' means 'a pearl'.

And it's pearls of grace God gives to us. Mostly in relationship.