An Altar

A most blessed moment came to me in the middle of today's afternoon.  I was over in nearby Vidalia taking care of a few things which needed doing and found myself with some unexpected time before I needed to be at a grandson's end of the year award program.  So, on the spur of the moment I made my way back to the Vidalia Church where I served as pastor for ten years.  After visiting with the pastor long enough to cause him to lose his train of thought on the sermon he was writing, I asked if he would open up the sanctuary so I could spend some time in that holy space.  

It is a church with a pulpit that is truly high and lifted up, one which says that the Word proclaimed needs to be heard.  Whoever designed the sanctuary understood that preaching is important.  It is also a church with a large Table behind which I offered the Sacrament to the people gathered there so many, many times.  And, it has an altar.   It was an altar where much holy work was done in those ten years.  

I knelt there today and thanked God for those who had knelt there with me and for the divine blessings He bestowed upon us.  There were moments of kneeling for communion, moments kneeling asking for God's healing in what we called Services of Prayers for Healing, there were moments of baptism, and moments of heartfelt prayer as we sought God and the blessings needed for the day which was given to us.  It was also a place I knelt many a Saturday night praying for God's blessing on a sermon prepared and for a congregation of people about to gather.  Today's altar time was no different than those of days past.  Holy blessings poured out upon me once again.