Empty Chairs and Empty Tables.

The blog title, Empty Chairs and Empty Tables, is the title of a song from the musical “Les Miserables”. It is sang by the character, Marius, who sits and laments of the people who were with him at the start of the French Revolution but who are no longer there. He also laments as to why he should be the one who is left.

And I sometimes think of people who I once knew, once worked with and once worshipped with over the years. I wonder how their lives have fared out since then. In my mind’s eye I can see a row of young men all sitting beside each other in church and singing. I think of the junior doctor who went to the same church as me and how he fared along in his career. One person went off to work on the oil fields as a geological surveyor. One went into the military. Some went to the mission fields, some into the ministry. Some moved along to other churches and some never carried on at all.

It’s very easy to sit and reminisce about other times and other people. We were all of our time and we all played our part.

I remember the times when I was a church bus driver. And I remember with fondness the other drivers who were all part of that merry little band. I helped at a children’s bible camp over a couple of summers, and I smile as I remember the other leaders who all worked together for those couple of years. I spoke at little house groups and helped in a small capacity in many, many other ways. And I sit and think of all those people that I knew and met. And wonder how they are doing now. But we all, everyone one of us, shared one thing in common. We move on. We changed. We grew. Alas, some people that I knew never made it this far, having left this world, and left a void filled with pain behind them.

I wonder how the apostles thought as they continued their ministries. How did John feel as he sat on the island of Patmos. Did he think of empty chairs and empty tables? Did Peter ever wonder what James, Philip or Bartholomew were getting up to?

Atleast after Jesus was resurrected all of the apostles, and many more people, knew that He had ascended up into Heaven. But the twelve apostles lived and worked together for three years. They were in each others lives. And they were present along with other disciples that followed Jesus. Only church tradition and ancient writings can help us figure out how their lives fared for them.

But those of us who remained. We grew. We grew because God, and life, changes us. And in changing us, life changes those others around us also. Sometimes people do well in their lives. And sometimes some of us get hit by that “curveball of life”. And when it hits us it’s time to knuckle down and get some serious praying and worshipping done.

Many years ago a dear friend of mine once said to me, “I love to see a Christian in trouble. For I know that something good is gonna come out of the other side of it”. And he was right (mostly). For when God wants to deal with us He does it in a way that cannot fail. When God wants to make us strong he brings us hardships. When God wants to teach us wisdom He brings us challenging circumstances. A modern day term that could be used for us is that we are being “recycled”. You see, change is a necessary part of all growth. But for a Christian, change is not all about ourselves. It’s about growing in our relationship in Christ.

I’m reminded of a story about a housewife cooking the family dinner. When she was cooking a turkey she always cut a large piece off the end of it. When asked why she did this she replied “Well, because that’s the way my mother did it and so I do it this way”. So the family went to the mother and asked her why she did it. “Well”, she said, “That’s the way I saw my mother do it so I just did it that way”.

So, the family went to the grandmother and asked her why she cut the ends of the turkey. “Well”, she said” when we were first married we were so poor that we only had a tiny oven. And that was the only way I could get the turkey to fit into it”.
The Bible talks in many ways about this “recycling”. But it doesn’t call it recycling. It calls it “renewing”. (Similar thing really, right?) It talks about fields being reploughed. It talks about fallow ground being broken up. Gold being tried in fire. And clay being broken up and remade into new pots.

Consider the writings of David and Paul…

            Psalm ch51 v10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

            Romans ch12  v2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of
            your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

So, go and say hello to someone that you once knew, or still know. Greet that person who sits quietly in church. Because God still has us all in His hands. We are his creation. He just hasn’t finished with us yet.

Spirit of the Living God.
Fall afresh on me.
Spirit of the Living God.
Fall afresh on me.
Break me. Melt me.
Mould me. Fill me.
Spirit of the Living God.
Fall afresh on me.

I’m a new creation.
I’m a brand new man.
Old things have passed away.
I’ve been born again.
More than a conqueror
That's who I am,
I'm a new creation
I'm a brand new man!

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