I managed, finally, to get to the gym today. I have been away for over 4 weeks, (world cup, heat, work, laziness etc.)which is probably the longest gap I have had away for about 2/3 years.

I foolishly tried to continue at the rate I did when I last visited and rapidly realised that my body was not able to do that and so settled for a shorter workout and longer sit in the sauna (yep I know – it’s a hard life for some!)

I was amazed at how quickly my body got out of shape, or rather how quickly I had become un-used to the discipline of exercise and thought it must be pretty much the same with God. If you don’t red your bible for a while, don’t pray, don’t do this and don’t do that, you can quickly ‘get out of shape’ and have to start again with God.

Actually, and thankfully, that is not the case!

I realised I was falling into the western evangelical way of thinking that says we have to perform, we have to be disciplined, we have to do this and do that to be good, or real, Christians.

Actually, in reality, I believe God makes it all a lot lot easier for us.

Yes, discipline is helpful, but if we lapse like have with th gym, God does not get us to start again.

In fact, here, with God, we can carry on from where we left off.

If we are heirs to th throne, if we are citizens of the Kingdom, if we are part of God’s family, God’s children, then we do not have to start again …. ever. God carries on with us from where we left off, as if we had never been away – because actually WE ARE NEVER AWAY from God.

I am part of God’s family. To remind me of this I have a blank key on my key ring. The blank key reminds me that to join God I do not need to ring a bell, I do not need to announce my arrival, I do not need to wait, I do not need to remember proper ritual or protocol, I do not need to sneak in quietly, I do not need to wear the correct clothes, I do not need to catch up.

All I need to do is use my key, as a member of th family, to let myself in and everything was as if I had never been away.

That is the amazing love and acceptance of my God.