Just Thinkin’ …

[Gracious]

Just Thinkin' ...

About a time when I had "NO-CHOICE"

Last Sunday while on my way to Worship Service (at an inner-city church), And I was met by a woman. She appeared to be homeless.  As she walked closer towards me, I'd detected a "strong" odor coming from her.  It was soooo fowl that it literally brought me to tears.  Her clothing was severely soiled, her hair undone, and she had no shoes on her feet.  Honestly, my initial thought was to give her a couple of bucks ... just so that she would leave me alone so that I could open one of the double doors of my church-home, which was only a few steps away ... but I couldn't move from that spot!  I wanted desperately to move, but I could not!  Wasn't scared or anything, it was just my feet - they just wouldn't move, soooo, I had no choice but to stay there & greet her.

{Huh, doesn't sound much like the "Gracious" that some of you have come to know does it?  Have to admit, my actions on that day SHAMED me soooo, that I've not been able to put it out of my mind!}

Anyways,

This woman stopped within inches of me, looked at me & began speaking ... in an unfamiliar tongue.  I wanted to respond by telling her that I didn't speak her language ... BUT ... I couldn't not, because my spirit began to receive each & every word that she spoke!  The more she talked, the more at ease I became, the less preoccupied I was about her visibly un-kept body and the more drawn to her story I became.

Then, as abruptly as she'd approached me & began her conversation, she'd reached to shake my hand, smiled at me and continued on her way!

It's been a couple of days since last Sunday. And like most, I've done quite a bit in these last few days - surely - enough to have completely forgotten about her. Yet, my mind drifts BACK to those few seconds, and I start thinkin' ... Thinkin' about exactly what it was the she said to me.  I start thinkin' about the sound of her voice & the words she spoke (all of them foreign to me), and the inner-release that I'd felt after ... each ... word! 

Church,

Most of the time, it is "WE" who have "The Choice" to ... STOP ... to RECEIVE ... to GIVE ... to PRAY ... or not!  I mean, isn't that what we're taught as Christians???

Yet, on this particular day & for those few moments ... MY CHOICE ... had been surrendered & exchanged for an inner-stillness.  No longer where the "issues" of my heart a preoccupation.  And the ministry that GOD had assigned me (within those church doors) became clearer & stronger!

Huh, isn't it supposed to be the opposite?  Isn't it supposed to be ... that the ministry within the church doors is supposed to prepare us for our ministry to the world?   

Hmmm ...

[David Dupree]

Gracious, God uses what He wills.  We think that we follow the idiom placed in many of our churches "Enter to worship, depart to serve."  And we do.  But why can't the flipside also be true?  True worshippers do not wait to enter the church doors to worship.  But for true worshippers, entering the doors is just an extension of the life of Worship. 

These days there are so many hurting people in church, you have to come in strong.  Otherwise, they will drain you.  And then you have to be able to help them. 

So I thank God for your epiphany as it were. hahaha

As an aside, I do think that we have gotten off track in our churches a lot.  The focus is so much on the help of our fellowman, (that 2nd commandment) that we forget about the first commandment to Love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength.  Mark 10:30-31  So we come to church and offer 30 minutes of announcements and 12 minutes of "Praise and Worship"  which is usually little more than time for "sing along with Mitch." (you probably don't remember that tv show...I don't either but I heard about it. hahahaha) When is it time to corporately seek the Face of God?  Then another 45 minutes of God's gonna do it.  And no one bothers to wonder "what have you done for Him lately?" Okay, I am getting off this soapbox. :-)

dd 

[Gracious]

My Brutha' ... My Brutha'

You ministered powerfully to my spirit when you said:

"...True worshippers do not wait to enter the church doors to worship.  But for true worshippers, entering the doors is just an extension of the life of Worship. 

These days there are so many hurting people in church, you have to come in strong.  Otherwise, they will drain you.  And then you have to be able to help them..." 

I pray for this blessing of being a TRUE WORSHIPPER!!!  And I am grateful for your affirming words!

Thank you soooo very much Minister DD  !!!