I love my church.
It's not just the fact that my best friends attend there, but they do. The closest people in the world to me (including you guys who moved. You know you're still family...) meet together every week at church. They make my Sundays the richest day of the week. They tease and encourage and laugh and cry together with me--and I love them.
It's more than the relationships, though. Sigh. So much more.
It's like today....I was discouraged. Have been struggling with a couple of things, both personal and at work, and just can't seem to sort them. I was really trying to figure out a way to send my family to church so that I could just think and pray for awhile, alone. I am never alone long enough to think. The choir was singing this morning, though, so I couldn't miss without a legitimate reason...and I woke up healthy in spite of my sickly hopes.
So I went, out of responsibility. How sad to admit that. Sang the songs we practiced a hundred times. Then ended up surprised--by worship. Worship! My word, the kind of worship that takes your breath and almost hurts, it's so beautiful. Did I forget? Did I forget the One for whom the songs are meant? The whole POINT? Again? Because I'm ashamed at how short my memory can be.
Oh, how confusing life can be. So much so that my focus shifts, almost without my detecting it. It isn't until gathering again with my Sunday School class and church family that I'm reminded, redirected, and reequipped to get back in the game. With a purpose. That usually has nothing to do with the cares of my life that distract. Does that even make sense? How do people get through life without solid teaching and a church family to help make those crooked paths straight??
Thank you, Lord, for my church home. For my friends whom I love as though they are family. For teaching that strips all of my defenses and desires to retreat from the world, and points me to You, again. For music that fills my soul with peace and floods my spirit with worship for You. Life is hard. But You are so good to us.
3 comments:
LOVE this post.
And I, too, have had that experience of having my drifting focus and misdirected mindset replanted firmly in the One I forgot to look for in the midst of the chaos!
I love that God created the Church. He knew how much we needed each other. :D
Amy, thank you for the post. I love it when people recognize how beautiful and wonderful the church is....even when it is messy. You are a great encouragement, keep loving and being loved at 9th & O, the best church in Louisville!!!
Thanks, you guys. Sometimes I rethink the more personal posts and get ready to take them down (like this one), then someone encourages.
Ken, you gotta hear the message. It was on bitterness, and Joseph's choice (through God's working) to not be bitter even when his brothers came groveling back to him. Returning good for evil.
It's been on my mind ALL. WEEK. LONG. Plus, the music just plain rocked...
On a different note, sad times that The Office was preempted for the Olympics. That's what she said....
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