one strength

I was blessed to worship in an older sanctuary this week. As I was listening to the first song my eyes wandered around the new space. I noticed the colors, stained glass, banners, and paraments. My mind went back to some sanctuaries in Chicago with the old wooden pews and the railings around the Altar. The high vaulted ceilings and creaky floors. Most times when I worship in a new space I will notice the flaws and things that need to be fixed. Instead, of having those realities fill my head I thought, “I wonder how many people have sat in this very seat and worshipped?”

I started to imagine the numerous emotions that have flooded the people who have sat where I was sitting. The stories that they had to share about God and the ways that the Spirit was at work in their life. I imagined the amount of struggles, joys, and moments of peace people who sat in this very pew experienced while worshipping. I wondered what parts of Scripture confused them and what parts gave them strength and comfort.

I experienced a moment of oneness with past and present worshippers. I remembered that we really are not alone. The generations who have worshipped before us have shared the greatest gift of all, the gift of themselves, of story. It is a personal story which leads to the story that gave them life as the discovered the interaction of one God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We have different stories but share one faith, one strength, and one creator. It is in the space we worship were we can look around at a community who shares our story. It is in the space we worship where the story continues as God’s interaction is revealed in our lives.

Ephesians 4:4-7 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all. But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ's gift.

Romans 12:5 So we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another.