A Place of Rest

An oasis is a geographical phenomenon where, in the midst of barrenness, there springs up a source of water capable of sustaining life. In his famous invitation, Jesus puts himself forward as a kind of oasis. In a landscape made barren by sin, he invites, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."

The church, in kind, needs to be an oasis; a place that offers Jesus’ promised rest. People weary from sin and overburdened by the world’s unrighteous expectations, need to know of the one who will take the burden from them. While this has always been an expectation for the church, in our day we need to particularly be a resting place for those struggling with same-sex attraction or who self-identify as gay. If their desire is to live in the manner that God desires they will not find the encouragement they need from those outside of the church. It is increasingly the case that they are not free to speak of their inner conflict for fear of a new form of Pharisaism, one practiced by those who embrace gay orthodoxy. Ironically, the church is the only place where they will hear that their desire to walk as God desires, while difficult, is good.