At the picnic site

I came across this cross a couple of weeks back. It's not broken, nor has it fallen. It is exactly where it is supposed to be. And it's not in a church or religious setting, but in a park near a bridge. A place where people stop for picnics or as a place to park, while they explore the area.

It's made from local stone; created by a local stone masons. It may go unnoticed, due to being on the ground, or may form part of a children's game.

But it's there, where people are. No in lofty churches or cathedrals, but in the midst of the people. A symbol of what God has done for the world, though many may not understand it.

As I prepare for Sunday, this cross came to mind. One of the readings I have selected is Luke 10:1-10, the sending of the 72. They went without possessions, to heal the sick and declare the kingdom of God is near. They went where the people were - to their homes and villages, not to their synagogues.

Church buildings are useful for a whole range of activities, but if the expectation is that people go to church, who will they hear God's message? Church attendance is low, so the church needs - in fact, I believe, is called - to go beyond its walls and meet with the people where they are, not where we would like them to be.

To be like this cross - in the areas wherepeople picnic, stop to take in the wonder of God's world and get on with the realities of life.