Cam Rahn Bay, Vietnam, 1971: A 20-year-old GI is baptized in the warm South China Sea by his chaplain on Easter. This is a turning point in his life. He later asks his chaplain where he should go for training to serve God with his aviation skills when he returns to the US. The chaplain provides him with an application to Moody Bible Institute which he fills out.
Chicago, Illinois: a 19-year-old girl is praying for her future husband in a quiet moment on the roof of her college, Moody Bible Institute. She is praying for a man she hasn’t yet met, but has the feeling he is far away. It is around Easter of 1971.
Pacific Northwest, October, 2018: an old couple are snuggling and smiling together. The conversation started when Husband remarked that so many of the good things in our lives have come through the Church- meaning all of the believers in Jesus, not one church denomination or one building. He reminded me that we never would have met if it weren’t for his chaplain in Vietnam who poured his time and love into his soldiers, even supplying them with college applications.
Then we started thinking of local groups of believers gathered to worship, study, and help each other with whom we have been associated over the years. I commented how small our lives would be without the people we have come to know and love because we attended church. Where would I be without the nurturing I received from women in my church during my less than ideal childhood? The living examples of Christian behavior Husband watched in the women that taught him the Scriptures in Sunday School and lived it during the week in his neighborhood. (Including the one who planted the seed of the idea of using his skills to serve God.)
Then we started thinking of the life-altering good we’ve received over the years from attending church. Our youngest son never would have met his precious wife if we hadn’t moved to her high school district so Husband could pastor a church. We never would have met the young adults we affectionately call ‘our Chinese kids’ if we hadn’t learned in our Sunday School class in a mega-church in Tennessee of the opportunity to offer hospitality and friendship to international students at the university. Fast forward almost ten years and our hearts are still knit together with theirs as we watch long distance as they marry and raise families. What heartwarming conversations, emails, and visits we have! Many of our lifelong friendships from childhood that enrich our daily lives are so strong because we are bound together by the love of God. Then there are the soon-to-become friends who come across our path at church. We take time to start a conversation with that new family sitting near us, that proud dad who tells Husband that his daughter’s bridal photo was on the cover of a magazine, the young mom sitting alone…each an opportunity to love on someone who may years from now may count us as one of their blessings from church.
We started listing just the physical benefits of being part of a church since we moved here almost 3 years ago. I know this isn’t very spiritual, but we named the many ways friends at church helped us during the difficult year of building our house. We started laughing because we wouldn’t have so many things if it weren’t for our church friends. Our friends’ love is stamped all over our place. The desk I’m sitting at to write this was a gift from a couple in our small group Bible study. The bricks of our sidewalk were also a gift from them, as was a riding lawnmower which faithfully mows our two acres. All of the dirt moved to make our nice landscaping (including a waterfall) was a gift from a heavy equipment operator at our church. The little excavator machine we used for months for so many jobs was loaned to us at no charge by our neighbors who attend our church. He always showed up during construction at just the right moments with a strong back and willing heart when the task was too much for one old guy. They also lightened our financial load by sharing our well and the cost thereof. The septic system was conscientiously made by a man we learned after we hired him goes to our church. Many of the flowers in my gardens were gifts from our pastor’s mom who shared from her bountiful gardens. Another church friend who is a master gardener advised and encouraged and grew flowers from seed to give me. We participate in a program called Gleaners that blesses us hugely because a kind friend from church invited us. And the list goes on.
Who can even begin to count the benefits of the precious friendships we enjoy as a result of attending church? Knowing there are folks who care and have our backs is such a comfort. Hearing their God stories of how the Lord came through for them in big and little things encourages us to trust God. Laughing together lifts our mood and gives us a true glimpse into the joy we have in Jesus. Seeing living examples of their faith in action spurs us on to greater faith. Seeing young people contributing their growing skills to our faith community gives us hope for the future.
We are thrilled each time we come to a church service because we know we’re coming to a feast. We’re getting food for our hungry souls.
“Is anyone thirsty
Come and drink—
even if you have no money!
Come, take your choice of wine or milk—
it’s all free!
Listen to me, and you will eat what is good.
You will enjoy the finest food.
“Come to me with your ears wide open.
Listen, and you will find life.
I will make an everlasting covenant with you.
I will give you all the unfailing love I promised to David.” Isaiah 55:1-3
“I am the bread of life, whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” Jesus in John 6:35
We’re coming to a celebration. Yes, we can be happy alone, but isn’t it wonderful to celebrate our salvation together? After all, celebrating together is what we’ll be doing in the next life.
“Then I heard again what sounded like the shout of a vast crowd or the roar of mighty ocean waves or the crash of loud thunder:
“Praise the Lord!
For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns.
Let us be glad and rejoice,
and let us give honor to him.
For the time has come for the wedding feast of the Lamb,
and his bride has prepared herself.” Revelation 19:6-7
Singing alone is good, yet joining with others is powerful. Everyone singing together with heartfelt praise (some with skill and others of us without) lifts us up and reminds us we’re not in this alone. All this food and celebration keeps us on track and keeps us from drifting into complacency.
“Sing a new song to the Lord!
Let the whole earth sing to the Lord!
Sing to the Lord; praise his name.
Each day proclaim the good news that he saves.
Publish his glorious deeds among the nations.
Tell everyone about the amazing things he does.
Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise!” Psalm 96:1-4
I was listening to the church as a whole singing, and it was the most beautiful sound, singing to the Lord. Yes we are blessed all of us, we just need to step back and look at all the beauty that God has blessed us with. We have an awesome church, wonderful friends and all the things that God has granted us with. Yes we are truly blessed. Thank you Jesus for dying for me and saving me from the depths of hell.
Yes, Sandy! You are right. And I join you in thanking Jesus for dying to save me from the depth of hell. Hallelujah!