Memorial Drive has a special guest every time we meet. God. We invite Him to sit with us, stand with us, and to take in our praise of Him. Each time we gather, especially Sundays, we have fierce anticipation God will show up. This is thrilling!
We never know when He'll take the stage. It could be during the sermon, but not likely. While the Word preached remains elementarily essential to us, God will show up in random and surprising ways. Often it's in the unplanned; i.e. a response at the invitation song or an announcement or a celebration. We look for God to step in through a special reunion or even reconciliation.
Memorial Drive is a place to start life over.....for each of us....70 x 7. We soak in one another's tears and sparkle at the overall gratitude He builds among us. We are a place where jailbirds get a second chance (and third), the divorced find hope, and the broken find acceptance. We are a place which makes the often trite saying that the ground is level at the foot of the cross become experiential. No one here has mastered faith....or hope...or love.
For the longest time, I'm not certain God attended our church. He wasn't needed. We believed we had it under control. As a result we were missing something vital; yet our efforts at restructure failed us. We needed God to sit with us. Today He's invited, welcomed, and needed. I can't wait to hear what He has prepared for me to preach Sunday by Sunday because I leave it open-ended up the very time of delivery. I want God to participate with me...with us.
I look forward to seeing Him today.
4 comments:
Like many others, this post left my heart racing just a bit. God's graceful presence is sweet and challenging, gentle and demanding. God bless you my friend.
You, more than anyone else, have taught me to look for God with anticipation.
lkBrother Terry, It sounded like that Sat. 11/24, you were having the post Thanksgiving blues, then when I saw you had written today, I thought he's over them already. You don't often write on the weekend now it was a double whammy. I feel a little like I was hit with a double whammy myself. I have never been very good at setting up Christmas with my family but I tried harder today than in past years. Then a little depressive feeling hit later and I am trying to pinpoint what exactly caused it. I think about my dad's death but that was 16 years ago, and then I think about my mom's life and she is soon going to a new living situation, independent living. Now I am watching sorta the Eagles vs. Patriots and the Eagles are leading, who would have ever thought. We all have troubles and we hope they don't last, and I too hope the tough doesn't last, tomorrow will be only beautiful even amidst difficulties. Well, that is all - God Bless, happy after Thanksgiving, God bless America, and if you want God to Bless America or if you want to Bless God go to www.alankeyes.com, Jim Cooke
I want to go to church with you.
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