01/09/2021
It will be great to be back in Sunday School at 9:45 tomorrow morning, and morning worship at 10:45. As we have been doing throughout the pandemic, we've worked hard to mitigate any risk to being in person for worship at the church building. Candidly, we are a pampered people aren't we? Our brothers and sisters in various places around the world and throughout church history have risked persecution, loss of jobs, arrest, death by burning, crucifixion, hanging, beheading, and torture in order to gather with other believers for worship. We can clean surfaces, wear masks, and "social distance" (not exactly a biblical concept by the way) to lessen the risk. Unfortunately, for our brothers and sisters around the world it's hard to lessen the risk of being shot at the church door or having one's family arrested and tortured by a tyrannical government. Who ever said that gathering in the name of Christ with other people would be without risk? If we are in fear now, what will we do, when and if we are ever threatened with physical harm for gathering to worship our Savior? I hope we all remember that there are worse things than physical suffering or death. I write all this merely to say--hang in there and be encouraged Mr. and Mrs. Christian. Be courageous in these times when if Christians were given medals, most would have no chest to pin them on (see C.S. Lewis, Men Without Chests). I have recently been inspired again by my 86 year old grandfather. He has never missed one single gathering of the church since the pandemic began--except for when he was recently near death because of COVID and pneumonia. After recovering, he was right back in his seat, worshiping with God's people. And if he had passed away, I'm confident he would still be worshiping, just in a more powerful way and in a different pew. I'm also confident he would be looking for all of us to join him some day. See you tomorrow then, right?
