An abandoned church, I stare at this picture and wonder the people who entered this small chapel. I wonder the last time a worship service was lifted to our Creator. I wonder about the pastor/priest who had the heartbreaking responsibility of closing the door for the last time. Pews vacant could tell us stories of God’s faithfulness. There were sweet times for the building to be erected. Yet, here it stands, overgrown and quiet.
Where I live, as I walk with my friend/puppy daily, we walk by a church where the same threat looms on the community. For-sale sign is in the front yard and I walk by and see the windows.
3 Actually, that’s how all of us used to behave, conditioned by physical desires. We used to do what our flesh and our minds were urging us to do. What was the result? We too were subject to wrath in our natural state, just like everyone else.
4 But when it comes to mercy, God is rich! He had such great love for us that 5 he took us at the very point where we were dead through our offences, and made us alive together with the king (yes, you are saved by sheer grace!).
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=ephesians+2+&version=NTE
We have our faith story. How you found God, how He rescued you. There was a USED to behave. How we made decisions that reflected our flesh and mind’s urges. But God, what I love in Big Daddy Weave’s song, changed everything. BUT GOD. Rich in mercy, we knew His love and we didn’t want to live without. So, we were dead and we were made alive. Grace. Sheer grace.
However, life happens. Maybe like the story of the little chapel picture and other priorities begin to invade our life. God begins to get shuffled to the background and the Spirit becomes a silenced voice. Mind you, this process is gradual and subtle. We love to give Satan all this power and say he tempts us to do all this stuff, and he does, but lordy, give us a phone and a remote to the t.v., and who needs Satan. I’m just saying.
The passion for Jesus loses in the busyness of life and did I read my Bible this week? Have I prayed? Did I attend church this week/month…you get the picture. The disciplines (I cringe at that word with the new year) that the walk with Jesus needs fade away.
Remember your friends, your family. What does it take to keep in touch with them? Think this with me. Walk towards those whom we want to be intentional with life. Text, call(not so much), Snapchat (yes, I do), FB messenger, etc. Your walk with the Lord needs the same love. Why? It’s our joy to know Him, to love Him and to serve Him.
When the state of our hearts have the same appearance of the chapel, we have questioned His love. Wondered at His goodness. Lost trust in His goodness. And it’s time to cut the hedges. Time to pull the weeds. Clean the gutters. Fresh paint.
Peace and love my friends.
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