As a child I mostly grew up in church. When I was in high school I began to volunteer. For years I ran the overhead projector for worship (that's right, the overhead projector!!). At some point I also began to serve in children's church. I was familiar with the church inside and out. I think it happens like that when you volunteer or serve often.
One of my favorite memories from church though doesn't even come from a time that there was a service happening or a time when I was serving. It was a Sunday night and there was a group of young adults who met in the multi-purpose room to hang out and pray for a bit. I remember during the time of prayer I slipped out and went into the sanctuary. I turned on just enough light so that I wasn't in complete darkness and I spent some time with the Lord and worshipped Him. There in the quiet, still, darkness, by myself. No music, no band, no service, no one else. Just me and the Lord. It was such an incredibly sweet and intimate moment between the Lord and I. I could feel Him in the empty sanctuary with me. Just the two of us.
I share this as an encouragement and reminder that the Lord is there. It's His house and we should never get so comfortable that we forget it. I think often when we serve in the church or work in vocational ministry, we get so used to the House of God that we forget that He's there. We show up and take care of our duties and sometimes forget that God is there too. And that He wants to meet us. Always!
Dear friends and servants of God, let's not forget every time we show up to the church, we are showing up to the House of God and He's always Home. Let's not let an opportunity to really meet with Him pass us by. Let's not get so caught up in our duties that we forget where we are.
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