Whenever we are sitting in church, especially in a really powerful service where the presence of God is almost physically tangible, I am sometimes struck with the memory of a sermon that my cousin, Pastor Rich Price, shared with our church many years ago. I don't recall the scripture reference that he used, but I do remember a little story he told. Forgive my memory, I'm going to tell it how I remember it. It went (something) like this:
Once upon a time, there was a little country church. But this was no ordinary church. It was a church of ducks. Every Sunday they would waddle from their ponds with their families. Church would start, the ducks would quack and tap their webbed feet to the music, then they began to raise their wings in praise. By the time the service was at it's peak, the ducks were flapping their wings and flying around the sanctuary. They were full of joy! They rejoiced in this feeling of thankfulness! God had done so much for them. He had brought their chicks into the world safe and happy. He had provided ponds for them to live in. He had kept them safe and provided plenty of food. God was with them always. How could they not fly around the altar in praise and thanksgiving? As they prayed, they quoted scriptures of power and authority, like 1 John 4:4 ("Greater is He that is in me that he that is in the world"), Mark 16:18 ("they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover") and 1 Samuel 17:47 ("...For the battle is the Lords..."). Then service would wind down, the ducks would visit with their friends and talk about their blessings and how good the Lord is. Then they waddled home to their ponds. They waddled through their week. They talked about how their ponds weren't big enough. They talked about how they were tired of eating the same thing. Their chicks were getting on their nerves. God seemed so far away. By the time the end of the week came around, they had forgotten that feeling from their Sunday service. They had stopped rejoicing. They waddled everywhere and wondered why they didn't feel like flying. Life had gotten in the way and made them forget about their joy. They forgot about the power that God had given them. Because of this, they didn't act or look any different from the ducks that didn't know the Lord.
This may not have been EXACTLY how Rich told the story, I'm sure he told it much better than I did. But the point remains the same: that feeling that comes when you are around the altar, that joy, that faith, that doesn't have to leave you when church service is over! Don't let life get in the way of your joy! Things may not be 'perfect' in your life. You might not have the job you want or the car you want. Your house may not be big enough for you (I am totally speaking to myself here!).
The last couple of years has brought so many changes to my life. Bryan and I made the decision to return to our (my) roots and be part of the church that I grew up in. We lost my Gran. I made a career change. We branched out and made a lot of new friends. We had a baby! All of these things changed our lives completely! We have had our hardships, but we find ourselves blessed. I try to be as thankful as I can be, but I've found myself being, not necessarily ungrateful, but dissatisfied with a lot of things in my life. I wanted another baby, and the Lord gave us Roland, and I am so thankful for him! But now our house is too small, formula and diapers cost too much, we had to get a larger car, we had to add a bedroom. I wanted a different job so that I could be at home with the kids more and not have to work evenings and weekends, and the Lord provided me with an opportunity to work within our school system. But the pay is less, we can't afford any extras, we're falling into debt, and daggone it I'm spending WAY too much time with my children!! Does someone want to take them for a while? I need some alone time!
You see? These things that I wanted, that I prayed for were given to me. But I find myself dissatisfied anyway. I'm too busy focusing on what I WANT, instead of what the Lord has provided. Philippians 4:19 says, "And my God will supply every need of yours, according to his riches in glory in Jesus Christ", and earlier in the chapter we are told to not be anxious for anything, but to bring our requests to God with THANKSGIVING. Not dissatisfaction. Are my needs taken care of? Yes! I have a home to live in, a car to drive, beautiful, healthy children and a husband that takes care of me. Hebrews 13:5 tells us to keep our lives free from the love of money and to be content with what we have. Proverbs 3:5 tells us to trust in the Lord. That's so hard for me to do sometimes. It's hard to wrap my mind around it. I have to really simplify it for myself: Do my children worry about having a home to live in? Where their next meal will come from? They don't even give these things a second thought! With God's help, their mama and daddy take care of their needs. So how much more should I trust that God has my world in His hands?
I don't want to leave my worship, praise and thankfulness at the altar. It needs to follow me wherever I go.
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