A TESTAMENT
TO THE OTHER SIDE
There it was, a testament to the underside-- Oh, the horror, the shock, the inhumanity of it all (actually it was quite human and that was the problem!) In our midst was a dark secret. A vile secret which had lain dormant, hidden in the shadows for who knows how long (I said it had been around for a vile, didn't I?)!
And where, pray tell, did we find this testament to the underside? We found this corruption of the first order in none other than our pristine, stained-glass abode of the saints.
By now, I should have your attention and you're probably thinking to yourself, "What is this guy talkin' about?" Well, before I recount the specifics of the crime, let me give you some background.
Last Saturday was our "Fellowship with Dirt Day" at the church building, which is what I call our work days. So, while the men were doing the manly dirt movin', tree cuttin', gravel throwin' labor outside, the ladies waxed, dusted, vacuumed, and all around gussied up inside. That's when we found it (insert organ accent here).
Underneath the last pew on one side of the sanctuary was a herd of gum, fused to the bottom of the seat like some bottom-dwelling parasitic parade! The gum was lined up, various colors, various states of age-- some were hard, some were medium-hard and some were just right! Obviously, this behavior had been going on for awhile! The question is "why"?
Was it that the taste was gone and the service was long? Could it be that the bottom of the pew was more convenient then any other avenue of disposal? Perhaps it was just, you know, 'cause, that's why!
Now, I would be the first to admit that we really aren't talking about the unpardonable sin here, but at the same time, there is an element of disrespect that I find distasteful. But the big questions are: What does one learn from such seatorial discoveries?
Points to Ponder
The first thing that comes to mind is Ecclesiastes 12:14 which says, "For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil." I imagine that the perpetrators of the gumous interruptus thought the chances of others discovering their deeds were pretty slim. But they forgot this verse. Have you ever considered that on Judgement Day, our EVERY deed will by examined and judged for what they are-- good or bad? So, you mean when I . . .?-- Yep! And that time when . . .? — un huh! And, oh, no, not that, no one knows about that! Well, guess what, the Big Guy in the sky certainly does and He's going to be bringing it to your attention on that Day! Hebrews 4:13 puts it this way, "Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account." For those who are in Christ, this isn't as scary as it sounds because we are clothed with the righteousness of Christ. However, that doesn't mean we are to be careless with our actions!
Second, there's something intriguing about this entire incident. The image of profaning the sacred with the common is very much an image for today. Everywhere we look, the sacred is being transformed into the common. "Merry Christmas" has become "Seasons Greetings" and Easter has become a "Spring Celebration." In Christian circles, it's become much more popular to consider Jesus as our buddy rather than our Lord. How often does the Church proclaim the Perfection and Holiness of Almighty God these days? It seems that we put that truth upon the shelf and replaced it with "self-help" and "meeting needs." Have we become too casual in our approach to God? Are we chewing gum instead of kneeling in worshipful brokenness? Are we defiling the sanctuary of our soul instead of seeking a cleansing from God? I, for one, have sworn off gum and taken up gummy bears!
Prayer
Lord God! We come before you declaring Your perfection. You alone are Holy, Holy, Holy! You alone are above all others! Lord, we admit that often we have forgotten your call to "be holy as the Lord your God is holy." Sometimes our faith focuses more on us than it does on You. Forgive us! Help us regain our understanding of what it means to be set apart for your use! Help us to be transformed into refined gold and precious silver! Amen!
