The Church Pew

There was light and beauty.  There was wisdom, friendship, family and love.  There were several very different walks of life all brought together this morning - like a naturally scattered stone path perfectly placed by God Himself - on one pew of the church.

On the end was a husband and wife.  Her mother was a church member when she was born so that makes her a 'lifer'!  He fell in love with her while they were teens - and he came to the church for her.  When he finally found Jesus - he came for Jesus.  And her!  I imagine between the two of them with the time they've spent together in the church, they have heard the Bible preached and the Gospel told every way it could possibly be presented - and more than once!  They are a beautiful example of humility, quiet giving and doers of the Word. They've lived in the same house for more than 30 years.

Beside her on the pew was her dear friend and neighbor.  They have lived life beside each other forever even going into the hospital on the same day as they both gave birth to their first daughters.  I imagine these two have turned to each other a thousand times over the years - each considering the other "that friend".  They love each other with Christian hearts and a lot like sisters!  It's the pair of friends you hope you and your bestie will grow up and be someday!

That woman married into one of the founding families of the church.  Her last name goes hand in hand with our church!  You rarely see the church without her in it.  She's a Sunday School teacher and a Lifegroup leader.  She really, really knows so much about walking with Christ - she's raised two girls into Women of God and she's been a mother to countless others.  She's the mother for those who's moms are gone - in one way or another.  And sometimes even a grandma to little children who need a Godly grandparent!  She is beauty and grace and she's the kind of Godly woman strive to be.

Right beside her was a woman who grew up a long way from our small town.  She grew up in a home who didn't attend church or talk much about Jesus.  But just as if God had a plan - she and her husband made their way into our state - and then into our church!  She would tell you herself that she was uncomfortable in certain situations, she didn't know how to be the 'doer' we as Christians are expected to be.  But she wanted to!  She plugged herself into all kinds of church activities and events so she could step out a little further in faith.  She is one of the many who was taken under the wing of the woman to her right.  She has learned by spending time with her how to be a Christian wife, a Christian mother, a sister and even a Christian daughter - shining the light of Christ brightly into her childhood home.  And since being so far away from home and family is hard, she has a Godly 'substitute mom' and her kids have a beautiful church family who want nothing more but the very best for them.  It's God's hand-picked relationship and part of His large plan!  Lately she's climbed way out of her comfort-zone to be a friend to a girl in real need of friendship.  Someone who at times would not even get out of bed if it wasn't necessary.  Someone suffering and in pain.  She sat beside her on the pew.

That woman always 'knew' God - but didn't really KNOW God.  When she finally gave herself to Him fully He gave her a beautiful church to call home and a church family who was in place by the time the last of her own family had died.  She too has been mothered by our beautiful Sunday School teacher.  She's come so far in her Christian walk - going from party girl, bar-hopper to one who speaks to ladies in prison or girls at a homeless shelter.  She loves Jesus - and she loves God's people.  She encourages those who know her - at least she's been told that countless times.  But.  She suffers greatly with sadness - diagnosed with Major Depression.  When she has her dark times she has a tendency to isolate herself, not reach out, not do the things she usually loves....many Sundays she wouldn't even make it to church.  She's been ministered to by that dear Christian sister - who at one time struggled with reaching out to anyone outside of her comfort zone.  It's a friendship that's blooming like a flower tended to by God!  That sad girl is me.  And I'm so grateful God put us together in His master garden!

Beside me on the pew this morning was a young lady who reminds me a lot of myself 20 years earlier.  Except she's making it on her own way better than I ever could!  I was lucky enough to have a loving family who did for me anything I could have ever needed.  That just doesn't seem to be the case for her.  She found her way to our church this past summer and ended up falling in love with Jesus there!  She needs help because she's young - both in life and her Christian walk - and I love her so.  I am compelled to reach out to her and make sure she's reminded often how much Jesus loves her!  It's funny how much I can't keep myself together some days but I can be a help to someone else.  I know God has used me in her life in some way because I've seen that look on her face that you get when you realize a prayer has been answered!  It won't be long before she's got someone sitting to her left who she's ministered to.  Someone who can look at her and say "well, if God can work it out for her He can work it out for me too!"  (Just like she can say about me!) She's already a strong, surviving, single-mom.  She'll be a powerful testimony to God's Grace and Mercy!  She's beautiful and I love that God has brought her into my life - our lives as a church!

Today our pastor was talking about those times in life where you wonder where God is.  Sometimes you just want to cry out "WHERE ARE YOU NOW, GOD?!  WHY IS THIS HAPPENING AND WHERE ARE YOU?!?!"  But God is everywhere, he said.  God is your neighbor.  God is your friend.  If the Holy Spirit is in you then you are the Hands and Feet of Jesus.  "Look beside you", he said.  "God is there."

And then I thought about the people on my pew alone and the wisdom, love and grace that has moved from person to person down the row.  It's easy to see the hand of God moving from that Life long church couple right down to the baby christian - so new to the faith and still wondering "where are you, God" herself.

And that was just one pew.  Imagine a world where we invested some time, wisdom and love into just the one person beside us.  God's grace reaching out to every person to our left, thanking God for the person on our right!  Go be Jesus for someone on your pew.