My disappointing and frustrating weekend began on Friday. My care giver called to tell me her car broke down and would be in the shop all weekend. No help or human contact that day! Later, one of my Christian brothers with whom I share breakfast and fellowship early Saturday mornings, sent a text that he has to work Saturday and then my other brother in Christ let me know Saturday is his daughter’s birthday and he will be spending time with her and her family. No fellowship or human contact on Saturday! Today is only the second Sunday my church has been able to hold limited services again. My pastor is asking old folks like me, who would be hardest hit by COVID-19, to continue watching services online. It is actually a moot point, because they have changed the entrance and exit making it a much longer walk from the door to a seat in the sanctuary. Even if I could make it that far with my walker, I would slow down everyone else trying to social distance. No human contact or live worship today!
Jesus does not bring us religion; instead He brings us a personal relationship with God through Him. My personal relationship with God has never been stronger. It is my relationship with His church that is being adversely affected. During the past four months of churches being closed In Illinois; we have been repeatedly reminded that the Church is not a building. I agree completely. I love our comfortable facility at Christian Life Center for worship, prayer and life group meetings; but that has never been what drew me to CLC. It has always been my brothers and sisters in Christ who make up the true church.
During the past four months, I have discovered that my laptop screen and speaker is not the church either. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy inspiring music and messages coming from familiar faces on my screen; it just isn’t the same as meeting together. Sundays, I have watched the worship and message from CLC, several other church services and even watched old videos of Steven Furtick preaching at Elevation Church. It has all been edifying, but doesn’t satisfy my need for personal contact with the church of believers.
I am blessed with care givers who each spend a few hours on week days helping me and providing human contact. I also have sisters in Christ who check on me regularly. Those phone conversations are always a blessing, but physical limitations and commitments keep us from personal visits. I have been enjoying Saturday morning fellowship for several years with my brothers in Christ. It was a bonus to my Sunday worship. When churches closed, so did restaurants. Two of them began picking up fast food breakfasts and bringing them to my place for food and fellowship here until restaurants reopened. That became my sole life line to the true church; a life line temporarily missing this weekend.
I have done my best to maintain a positive, encouraging outlook on this blog; but I have also been completely honest about what life as a Christian is all about. Today I am experiencing some disappointment and frustration. I could ignore those feelings and try to find something more cheerful to write about, but this is part of life as a Christian. It is not the first time I have felt like this and if God gives me more days, it will surely not be the last. Tune in again Wednesday for a little sunshine, as my situation changes along with some of those facts I write about today.