Church: God Meets Us Wherever

Today I got to return to my home church at Redeemer and it felt strangely as if it had been a very long time. You might have called it a typical Sunday service, but then again I guess no service is truly typical. Needless to say I was struck with the realization that I have been at the same church for well nigh 10 years -- maybe even a little more. We have seen many great people, who I can confidently call my brothers and sisters, cycle in an out of the church, most often than not because God has called them into a new season of life in new places with new jobs.

Over the last 10 years God has also seemingly gone after me too with His love. I am far from the kid I was back then, growing in many ways along this road, and yet I still have had my trials and tribulations. Still do. Not only me but as a church family we have had troubles. It seems rather mundane to think about these things now, because time has either slowly erased them from my memory or lessened the hurt. Even people, members of our community, have slowly faded away. Many I am thankful I remember, but still others were easily forgotten. But our Lord has not forgotten them and He has not forgotten me even though I am not always a Redeemer regular now. He will meet me wherever I come to worship Him and there is something comforting in that which we often seem to forget.

For right now I was thankful to be back at Redeemer taking part in the liturgy, hymns, and the like. One lyric that particularly resonated today was from the hymn "Before the Throne of God"

"Behold Him there the risen Lamb,

My perfect spotless righteousness,
The great unchangeable I AM,
The King of glory and of grace,
One in Himself I cannot die.
My soul is purchased by His blood,
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ my Savior and my God"

All the glory be His