I do not have all the time and space to write the reasons why we need the church but this last Sunday I was reminded of my desperate need for Christ and his church.
This is how our Sunday played out:
Kyle was already at church and I was doing some things around the house then getting myself ready while Obie was napping before heading to church. Normally on a Sunday I focus on getting myself ready while he naps because realistically I can only get a few things accomplished. To my frustration, Obie woke up early from his nap despite my efforts to keep him sleeping, and I was still in yoga pants. Of course I responded in the most gracious and understanding way. Being hopeful, I thought he would play on the floor and spend just a bit of alone time while I finished getting ready for church. Oh was I wrong. Obie woke up on the wrong side of the crib and was quite cranky, only content being held. I was excited to wear a new dress that Erin got me from the states and to wear a new necklace that a good friend of mine recently gave me. I had been mentally planning my outfit all morning and I was feeling pretty good about my ensemble. Why is it that I care so much about how I look when we go to church? As I rushed to get dressed and do my hair I heard an explosive fart from the little man and made a mental note to change his diaper before we left. I managed to finish getting ready even though Obie was letting me as well as the neighbors know he was not happy. As I walked out the door, I was a bit flustered but was feeling good cause we were looking good, Obie and I were in coordinating colors, we were adorable!
All the way to church the crying boy could barely be consoled but arriving at church we pulled ourselves together, wiped our tears and straightened our clothes; no one would have known we had the morning we did. As we walked into church and talked to some friends the frustration of the morning dissipated a bit. As the worship music started playing I was thinking of how great God is I was for getting my son and I to church, on time, looking awesome. Then I looked down to see that the flats I was wearing had a big rip in them, totally exposing my unpainted toenails. As we continued singing praise songs I noticed that my new dress's hem had fallen out in the back and there was a foot long string dangling down my leg. "Thats ok" I thought "just part of being a mom." A few minutes later I remembered that I never changed Obie's diaper from the poop he had at home. Kyle graciously took Obie to get a new diaper. When he came back I could see that he got peed on all down the front of his pants, on a closer look I also saw a smear of poop on Kyle's pant leg. Just minutes before I was praising myself for all my accomplishments in having my family appear that we have it all together. In such a short time I was humbled and rebuked for the vary same thing.
Sometimes I make church to be a place where we come together with a bunch of good looking people to try to make ourselves feel good about who we are. But really church is a place that Christ set up for his people because we are sinners with spiritual poop in our pants, in need of a diaper change, a Savior.
During the "meet and greet" at church I was able to see that a young woman that I knew was not doing so well. She and I left the sanctuary to talk during the sermon about how she was really needing the body of Christ that morning and will continue to need it. Please be in prayer for this friend.
This Sunday Yahweh showed mercy to me by reminding me that his church is a place for broken people to come together to bring his Kingdom to this earth. I want to appear to have it "all together" and I strive after that but oh how I need to be washed in the blood of Christ.
Do not be alarmed, even though this little guy is so cute he is also in need of a Savior.
