Jesus and Germs are Everywhere!

Due to the lack of decent signs recently you will all have guessed I've been away and now it time to bring back -

The Church Sign of the Week!

And this week it's 'say your prayers and wash your hands 'cause Jesus and germs are everywhere!'

This is a sign I saw a lot in those terrible ultra-religious bookshops you only find in the U.S. It seems to be a catchphrase of American fundamentalists, but, unlike most of the stuff I saw in those shops, I actually like this one. It asks some very important questions, like what is prayer and where is Jesus?

I'm pretty sure that what prayer is is different for most people. We are (I say 'we are' I should say 'I was') taught as children to kneel by our beds, put our hands together, close our eyes and talk to God like we would to a head teacher or policeman. "Please God look after my family and thank you for the good times I've had today. Amen" That sort of thing. (That's what me and my brother did anyway so I think that is normal.) But I as talk to others and learn more myself I find that prayer is far less me talking to the cosmic headmaster and more a conversation between me and a close friend. I no longer kneel by my bed, put my hands together and close my eyes in fact most of my prayers are said in the car as I travel from place to place, so closing my eyes and putting my hands together would be unadvisable if not downright dangerous.

My car prayers started a few years ago after I mentioned to a another minister that I found it difficult to pray. She said, "Try it in the car." So I did. It started as a few words thrown into space hoping that God would hear - it morphed into a rants and shouts at a God that didn't seem to listen and slowly but surely it has become a time when I speak to God about all manner of things. I don't use special words, or thees and thous, I just talk. God has heard me swear about things I consider particularly unfair or that I don't understand, he's heard me cry and laugh and scream and shout and sometimes we just sit there in silence for a while. I never have heard him talk back, no sonorous voice has ever rocked my car as God says,

"YOU'RE SPOT ON AGAIN SION, THE REDS DID CHEAT LAST SATURDAY; I'll MAKE SURE THE REBELS WIN NEXT WEEK!"

but I do feel I'm heard and sometimes even answered. Your prayers may not be done in the car but I do hope you find a place to say them that suits you, your lifestyle and God. If you want to know more or ask any questions drop me a line or pop and see me.

As to if Jesus is like germs? - I would say yes. He's there if you look for him (just as germs are). I've been to many places on my trip and in everyone of them (absolutely every one) Jesus was there. I met him in the way people treated me, in the words people said, in churches and coffee shops, in airports and at tram-stops, in buses and cars. At Greenbelt he was there, in a Appleby's in Denver he was there. Oh yes, if you look for him (and even if you don't) Jesus is everywhere in those that live as he would have them - some of them are even Christians.

So say your prayers and wash your hands for Jesus and germs are everywhere!