For Sale

I decided to take a drive Sunday afternoon,

It’s one of the few activities one can indulge in with the current COVID-19 restrictions in place.

With no specific destination in mind, I decided I would first drive by the church I attend.

With the recent spike in COVID-19 cases, worshipping together has been suspended once more.

Fortunately, our services will still occur and be streamed online.

Many churches have chosen this option at least until the pandemic has subsided.

I remembered twice finding a note on our church door from a youth group.

The note said that they stopped by and prayed for us,

Each young person had signed their name to it,

I recalled thinking what a remarkable gesture this was.

Being familiar with the many churches in the community, I decided to make this the focus of my journey.

I made a mental list of all these churches and proceeded to drive from one to the next.

I paused my journey at each one and said a prayer on behalf of those who call that church home.

Luke 18:1 (NET) - Then Jesus told them a parable to show them they should always pray and not lose heart.

I prayed for their worshippers and the day that they would be able to gather once again.

So I traveled from one to the next, pausing at each to pray.

Things proceeded as I expected until I was taken by surprise.

One church to which I traveled had a “For Sale” sign.

I suddenly became quite sad,

There could be any number of reasons as to why this church had permanently closed its doors.

Perhaps it was the pandemic.

Perhaps the number of worshippers had been in decline.

Perhaps there was a disagreement that led to division.

Whatever the reason, this church and its congregation was no more.

Its doors will remain closed until a buyer comes along.

What will occupy the building remains to be seen.

Now, I know the Church is not the building.

It is the entire body of believers with Christ as the head.

Ephesians 1:22-23 (NET) - And God put all things under Christ’s feet, and gave him to the church as head over all things. Now the church is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

Still, I could not help but feel sad as I thought of all that happened within its walls over the decades.

All the sermons that were preached.

All the hymns of praise that were sung.

Al the prayers that were lifted.

All the weddings, baptisms and funerals that united generations of people.

Now, the lights are turned off and silence fills an empty space.

It will remain that way even after the pandemic is over.

I know that those who worshipped there did so differently than I do.

That does not matter.

I continue to pray for them.

My prayer is that they will find a new church that they can call home.

That prayer turns my sadness into hope.

1 Corinthians 1:9 (NET) - God is faithful, by whom you were called into fellowship with his son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at https://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com/ on Friday, July 10, 2020.

I’ll be back here on Friday, July 17, 2020