Monday, August 25, 2014

BIG CHURCH WITH LITTLE PEOPLE


It is my opinion that I write about things that are a big part of my life.  Face it, our thoughts tend to wander towards the people and things we love.  Most of you my blog readers surely have figured out now that my God, my Savior Jesus Christ and my spiritual life are most important to me with my family being right there next with very little space between.   

The experience I’ve been pondering today happened at church yesterday.  Big church.  Of course, since the Children’s Choir sang my favorite, “Jesus Loves Me” and made me teary eyed as they often do when they sing this in their sweet littles voices, I was being blessed.  Yesterday was not my day to play the organ for the service so after the choir singing, I walked to sit at my regular spot about four or five rows from the back by the wall aisle.  I always try to choose my bench so that I am NOT sitting under a light.  The recessed lighting in our church can get very hot and I’m hot enough without having to sweat more.    Just sayin’…

After taking my seat, the visiting preacher began.  He had just started when I saw that one of the little girls from my Sunday School class had walked to my bench to sit with me.  She hopped up on the pew, pulled her dress over her knees, settled herself in, looked up at me and smiled with sweet expectation.  Ah.  I’m always sunk when they smile.    I quietly pointed to her beautiful sandals and we both smiled.  She’s pretty good at knowing what I’m meaning and being quiet.  Well, wasn’t but a couple of minutes, I noticed over to the left from the center aisle that another little girl from the class was coming to sit with me.  She took her place on the right side, we all three squeezed together (even though we were on an empty bench) and sat there quietly.  I never have any bag of tricks with me, just a purse and my Bible, and since I don't let anyone look in my purse, sitting with me can become pretty boring after a while.  It wasn’t long till one more little girl from the class came from the seat in front of us to sit with us.  As the sermon went on, little bits of whispering began and I shot my looks of “don’t-be-talking-in-big-church”.  Granted,  these little ones are pretty good in Big Church. 

Eventually the last one to join us got bored with no activity and went back to her seat in front of us.  One of the others got the Bible from the book rack, opened it and proclaimed, “There’s no pictures.”  I suggested quietly that she come and sit with the other child and they could look at my Bible, which had pictures.    There was a simple picture of the ark.  No animals, no water, and no Noah but an ark.  The youngest one said, “What’s that?”  The oldest said matter of factly, “It’s the ark.  Noah’s.”  Then the youngest looked at me and said, “We learned that in SUNDAY SCHOOL.”  While excited that she listened in Sunday School, I shushed them a bit but kept turning pages.  Then I flipped back to the front and there was one of creation—the galaxy—a moon and a starburst.  The youngest looked at me and said excitedly, “Whoa…FIREWORKS!”  It was all I could do to not laugh out loud.  I imagine when God created all that, it seemed like big fireworks.

So obviously, if the visiting preacher is reading my blog, I would implore him not to be hurt that I missed most of his sermon.  I can tell you the scripture but didn’t listen too well.  I’ve found today as I recall Big Church for me yesterday that I was getting a sermon right there on my pew from the little people. 

What if I came to church with smiling expectation of wonderful worship?   

What if I came to church having excitement as I would have seeing “fireworks”? 

What if I came to church with simple faith and desire to learn more of Him?

What if I came to church EVERY SINGLE TIME with the big assurance in my heart that “Jesus loves me, this I KNOW”?

What if I came to church ready to “Be still” and listen to what God has to say to me?

What a wonderful Big Church it would be!   Not only Big Church, but life itself. 

So yes, yesterday as I looked at those little hands and little feet with toenails painted, I felt all warm and fuzzy inside.   God doesn’t have nor require a bag of tricks,  He just wants true worship and love in us for Him and for others.  I also learned that “God’s little people are God’s BIG people sometimes.”  And don’t forget it!

And all God’s people would surely shout a loud, “AMEN!”

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