What is happening in the church today is unprecedented. None of us have ever lived through a time when the church doors were closed to those who would come and worship on Sunday. The pulpits are gathering dust. Musical instruments have been silenced. Pews are empty. And, offering plates are not being passed from one person to another. However, like all things, these days will pass. The church will once again be opening its doors and inviting those on the outside to come once again.
Once the green light is given by governmental officials, health experts, and church leaders, there will surely be a rush to dust the sanctuary, and, of course, disinfect it as well. As slow as the social distancing thing might make it, the goal will be to get back to doing all the things once done as quickly as possible. One of the mistakes the church might make in these days is to assume that what was should be again. These days of the forced closings could be something like a pause which the church could use to look seriously at how it might move forward without the burden of what has always been.
As is so often the case, there is a New Testament Word which speaks to the church at the juncture when "pushing the pedal to the medal" might seem to be the thing to do. It is found at the end of the gospel of Luke where an about to ascend Jesus says to His disciples, "...stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high." (Luke 24:49) In another place in the beginning of the book of Acts, the Word reads, "...He (Jesus) ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the promise of the Father..." (Acts 1:4) Even as we gather, it might be that waiting would be a more appropriate spiritual response than worshipping. We are likely to try to shape the future God is unfolding according to the past instead of giving Him room to take us to a different and new place. The future is in the hands of God and the church will be better served by seeking that future instead of the one we would re-create.
As is so often the case, there is a New Testament Word which speaks to the church at the juncture when "pushing the pedal to the medal" might seem to be the thing to do. It is found at the end of the gospel of Luke where an about to ascend Jesus says to His disciples, "...stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high." (Luke 24:49) In another place in the beginning of the book of Acts, the Word reads, "...He (Jesus) ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the promise of the Father..." (Acts 1:4) Even as we gather, it might be that waiting would be a more appropriate spiritual response than worshipping. We are likely to try to shape the future God is unfolding according to the past instead of giving Him room to take us to a different and new place. The future is in the hands of God and the church will be better served by seeking that future instead of the one we would re-create.
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