"Me for General! I promise to fight for your right to partaaaaaay!"

Facebook hacked! Last week a friend updated MY facebook status saying “Me for General! I promise to fight for your right to paaaartaaaay!” I saw the humour in it, (hopefully learnt a lesson about leaving FB logged on) but it got me thinking. When we are really fulfilling our mission as a SALVATION Army, there really will be a whole lot more partying! If we take seriously the salvation of others, and the freedom that comes with it … why wouldn’t we party?

Every time we see someone saved, embracing the love, care and salvation of Jesus, choosing to become his disciple … it’s exciting, it’s amazing, it’s worth celebrating! Luke 15:4-7 says “Suppose one of you had a hundred sheep and lost one. Wouldn’t you leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the lost one until you found it? When found, you can be sure you would put it across your shoulders, rejoicing, and when you got home call in your friends and neighbours, saying, ‘Celebrate with me! I’ve found my lost sheep!’ Count on it—there’s more joy in heaven over one sinner’s rescued life than over ninety-nine good people in no need of rescue.”  PARTAAAAY!

Or the story Jesus told of the Father who had two sons. The youngest said to his Dad, ‘I want my inheritance now’ So the father divided the property between his boys. When he’d received his inheritance the youngest took off for a distant country, where he wasted all he had. He spent every last cent. His decisions left him homeless and hungry. He got a job tending pigs and couldn’t even eat food from the pigpen.

 “That brought him to his senses. He said, ‘All those farmhands working for my father sit down to three meals a day, and here I am starving to death. I’m going back to my father. I’ll say to him, Father, I’ve sinned against God, I’ve sinned before you; I don’t deserve to be called your son. Take me on as a hired hand.’

He got right up and went home to his father.

 “When he was still a long way off, his father saw him.

His heart pounding, he ran out, embraced him, and kissed him.

The son started his speech: ‘Father, I’ve sinned against God, I’ve sinned before you; I don’t deserve to be called your son ever again.’

 “But the father wasn’t listening. He was calling to the servants, ‘Quick. Bring a clean set of clothes and dress him. Put the family ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Then get a grain-fed heifer and roast it. We’re going to feast! We’re going to have a wonderful time!

My son is here—given up for dead and now alive! Given up for lost and now found!’ And they began to have a wonderful time. Luke 15:11-24 (Msg)

Partaaaaaay!

In a couple of weekends time, we’ll open up a new corps building in Upper Hutt … I’m starting to see it as a party venue. A place of people coming home to their Father in heaven and being embraced with love and celebrated with a party!

Imagine if we saw our corps/church buildings as party venues! Each day, children coming home and witnessing the Father running to them, embracing them, kissing them and throwing a party for them. HA! Love it!

An Army fighting for the salvation of the world and partying when each precious, beloved, valuable child comes home!

Yeah!

A General who likes to party! Sounds good to me!