Rockfest Day 1 - Come As You Are

When I was about thirteen, for my birthday my parents threw me a surprise birthday party. I typically don’t care for surprises too much especially the type where people jump out of hiding and shout “Surprise!" It tends to unsettle me and throw me off my game.

But this surprise party had a twist – the surprise wasn’t on me – it was on my guests. I woke up early and while still wearing my nightgown my parents drove me to my friends’ houses and I surprised them while they were still sleeping – typically by jumping on their beds in the dark and shouting “Surprise!” Each girl got startled awake to within a second of having a heart attack and then I took her to the next house and we would “invite” my next guest to the party.

It was rather hilarious with all my friends grabbed out of their beds still wearing their pajamas or whatever it was they wore to bed. Sleepily trudging off in the early morning to celebrate my birthday. No one was allowed to change clothes or even brush their hair or teeth – this was a “come-as-you-are-party.”

One of the fun things about come-as-you-are parties is that generally everyone is in the same state of disrepair that you are. No one likes going to a party being under dressed. Most people I know, including myself, like to be appropriately dressed and presentable. But if everyone looks terrible then that’s okay.

Generally speaking, no self-respecting 13-year old girl is going to go anywhere in the light of day outside her house in her nightgown, without brushing her hair and teeth and concealing her pimples. But if all her best friends are with her and they too are not at their peak of present-able-ness then its okay. The 13-year old girl doesn’t feel so self conscious because she in fact fits right in with the theme of the party.

The other thing I like about come-as-you-are parties is that there is not all the preparation or planning involved on the part of the guest. For most parties there is the planning of the outfit, the bathing and fixing of the hair and make-up and concealer. The trying on of several outfits to see which one looks like she’s not wearing an “outfit” before the guest decides she has “nothing” to wear in her packed closet and decides to just “throw this old thing on.” Come-as-you-are-not parties can be exhausting before you ever get there.

Jesus has invited us to a party and I am so glad His is the ultimate come-as-you-are. Jesus is asking us daily to join Him and discover a deep and profound relationship with Him. And He wants us just the way we are. He wants us with all our flaws and failings. He wants us to come and get to know Him while we are still angry, mad, jealous, gossiping, worried, sad, scared, have screwed up, are about to screw up and are carrying around every other burden known to man. No planning, no preparation, no getting our act together first. He wants us just as we are this very minute – and trust me, if your life is anything like mine, this very minute things ain’t too pretty.

Jesus wants us in our pajamas, with messy hair and un-brushed teeth. Why? Because He wants to redress us in His robe of splendor (Ezek. 16:10). He wants to brush our hair and teeth and make us beautiful the way He sees us. (Song 4:1-9). The fact of the matter is, Jesus doesn’t see us as we see us, He sees us as we were created - “fearfully and wonderfully made.” (Ps. 139:14).

When we think that we cannot approach God because we have let Him down or are just too broken and sinful for God to want to have anything to do with us – we are flat out wrong. That is the moment when God wants us most. To take our burdens from us and replace it with rest. (Matt. 11:28-30). To wrap His love around us and cleanse us and beautify us – body, soul and spirit.

Come as you are – it’s the theme of God’s party. Feel free to leave the hair brush and concealer at home.

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