But My Daughter Called

This morning, Sunday morning, just like many of you, I’m usually busy getting prepared for church.

But today’s different. Haven’t turned on the lights, queued the mic, set out the signs or prepared a message…haven’t even gotten dressed.

They said, church was canceled due to corona.

I’d probably be sad. I could easily be discouraged.

But last night, my daughter called.

We talked. We prayed. We shared scared...an hour and twenty-one minutes later, we hung up.

I stared at the phone and smiled with watery eyes as it occurred to me…we had church.

In all my life, in all my years, thousands of services, this was one of the best church services I ever had.

Church isn't canceled. No. It's not dead.

She's stumbled in the past

Most recently, in America, she's slumbered.

But, she's not dead.

No not by a long shot.

These times. These trials. These stirrings. This fear, has only shaken to awaken the most powerful family on the planet, the Church.

The Church isn't dead, nor ever will she be.

Because God's not dead and through His church He lives and moves and breathes.

The Church is alive and well and all of a sudden, she's multiplied her ministers. They're not just standing behind pulpits, but smiling across checkout counters and over steering wheel of truck and trailer. They’re reaching for trembling hands in nursing homes and health care centers. They’re tossing a roll of toilet paper across the fence to a neighbor. Their words are echoing through open air from the beds of pickup trucks and flatbed trailers. Their smiling faces are beaming through facetime and snapchat and closing the gap of social distancing by every form of social media…and personally, right now, my most favorite thing, they’re picking up the phone and calling dad.

Dear world, let’s have church.

Thanks Shyloh. I love you.

Painting by our friend & local artist Nancy Yearick