The greatest thing in the world
August 12, 2011 (Friday)
Some preachers have told a lot of jokes through the years. One of my favorites: “I had to leave my church because of illness and fatigue.” “Illness and fatigue?” “Yeah, they got sick and tired of me!”
That’s just a joke, but I read today about a church in Alabama that had an unusual ending to their morning worship service. The pastor fired the music director, who then tased the pastor. One of the deacons then stabbed the mother of the music director. When the ambulance came, they took six people to the hospital. I think they usually call that part of the service the “Benediction.” I don’t know what they called it last Sunday.
Another story. A preacher said, “My prayers were answered when I got fired.” “How so?” “Well, I had been praying for the people to be of one accord. They certainly were–the vote against me was unanimous!”
Of course, these things are not funny when they really happen. And they do happen. But not as often as we seem to think. These are the exceptions.
I can speak only for myself, but I think I am speaking for many people when I say that the Christian family has been an oasis of love for me. I got saved as a child, and didn’t go to church again (for understandable reasons, such as moving away and, as a child, having no transportation) until I was almost 17 years old. But on the day I came back, I was welcomed and felt like I had really missed out on something vitally important during those years of absence. The love I felt from those people was like a refreshing shower of warmth.
I have felt that ever since, wherever I have been a member of a local congregation of believers. True followers of Jesus love God and each other. Most Christians take the Lord seriously and believe what he says in his word: “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:35 NIV).