A Room Full of Answered Prayers
Don’t you just love a sweet little story with a happy ending? Well, settle in, friends. I’ve got one for ya.
On Sunday morning, I scanned the faces in the packed-out auditorium of our church and thought to myself, “This is a room full of answered prayers. Thank You, Lord.” It was the five-year anniversary celebration of our church’s beginning.
Suffice it to say, God’s fingerprints are all over the history of this local expression of the family of God, and we delight to tell others about how He orchestrated the merging of two congregations with different strengths and weaknesses into one unified church focused on making His name famous and His heaven crowded.
Every member of our church could add their own chapter to the story, sharing how God has used this body of believers to draw them nearer to the Lord. Here’s a little bit of mine and what He was kind enough to bring to my remembrance on Sunday…
First of all – those friendships! God has brought people into my life over the last five years who’ve impacted my understanding of His character, the power of prayer, the truths of His Word, and the depths of His love. Some are still a part of this church body, and some of those friends have moved on to other congregations. But we remain united under the banner of Christ and will be united forever as His children. All have left an eternal mark on my heart and soul. These are the people who’ve mourned with me, rejoiced with me, shared the heavy loads of grief and sorrow, and celebrated my victories small and large. These are the people who bring the Word to life and will share eternity with me in the presence of the King! Thank You, Lord.
Second of all – the families! Our church is blessed with so many young families, children, and babies! Those mamas and daddies have become our second kids, and their children have become our second set of grands. What a blessing to be involved in some small way in many of their lives. We love that our church is full of growing families and provides discipleship for everyone, regardless of age. Here, we delight and invest in our children – the future of the church. Thank You, Lord.
Third – our leadership! Our staff is a crew of dedicated women and men who put in the time, the prayer, and the work of serving our church sacrificially and with the joy of the Lord as their strength! Each one is gifted very differently but has been deployed to exercise those gifts in strategic ministries that maintain the unity of our church and spread the good news of the gospel in our community. And God bless ’em – they lead an army of volunteers, which as we all know is akin to herding cats. Our pastor and elders shepherd our hearts with humility, fervent prayer, and reliance on the Word. Thank You, Lord.
Finally – the Lord Jesus! You’ll find at the center of our friendships, our families, and our leadership one common theme – humble, grateful surrender to the Lordship of Jesus. Our church motto is: “We exist to glorify God as we enjoy and obey Jesus and help others do the same.” This motley group of imperfect people comes together every Sunday morning, remembering and rejoicing in the fact that a perfect Savior has rescued us from eternal separation from God. We gather to worship Him and to thank Him for all He’s done, all He’s doing, and all He will one day accomplish in our lives and in the world. We leave the building we call the church, and we go into the world to be the Church, empowered by God’s Holy Spirit. What a privilege to live on mission for Jesus! Thank You, Lord!
As I mentioned, this little family of God isn’t perfect. But it is our family! We’re only as strong as our weakest member so we’re committed to linking arms with all of our brothers and sisters for the glory of God and the good of His people. We’re committed to praying for the members, the leaders, and the will of God to be done in our midst. We’re committed to serving as ambassadors and bondservants of Christ.
A lot can happen in five years, and it certainly has! I hope you found that this story was indeed a sweet one – as I promised you several paragraphs ago. But this is not the end – it’s only the beginning. God has been good to this precious church, and the best is yet to come. Thank You, Lord!
(Friend, are you invested in a local church? You weren’t meant to walk this journey of faith alone, and God has provided churches in your area that are anxious to weave you into the fabric of their families just as we’ve been woven into ours. Look beyond the imperfect people to their perfect Savior, and find a place you can call “home.”)
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“As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit – just as you were called to one hope when you were called.” – Ephesians 4:1-4
“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 3:12-14
