Last Sunday, when my husband and I, along with our daughter went to church earlier than our usual time, we found to our surprise all the seats, we usually sit at the front were already taken up. Pastor Bob was out of town this Sunday too, and the youth pastor for Junior church was expected to give the message on this morning. Although we were happy to see the sanctuary almost full to the last row, losing our usual seats at the front made us to sigh and walk out the door and sit on the leather couch in the foyer.
The seating felt comfy and two flat TV screens on either side of the front desk in the foyer made it very convenient to sit back and watch what was happening on the stage inside.
On the screen, instead of our worship leader Steve thumping his guitar and singing aloud in a rock star fashion, a young woman named Stephanie was at the keyboard, leading the worship in a slow and solemn song with great devotion. Slowly the irritation of not getting seats inside began to leave, and we began to join in the the worship.
However, the traffic of late comers rushing into the sanctuary and kids walking out with their moms to go to the bathroom or to get a donut kept our focus sidetracked most of the time. After a while, the interruptions subsided, and soon it became quiet and conducive to listen to the pastor's sermon. Because it was the first Sunday of the month, communion table was neatly laid out at the front and the pastor was talking on the significance of the bread and the wine we are going to take short while.
I haven't heard this youth pastor preach before, but I must say, I really liked what I heard that morning. At the beginning, he made a teenage girl from his youth group to share her testimony at the recent youth camp, and then he backed it up with the emphasis on God's grace and the importance of remembering His grace while we take part in communion. I found that enlightening,because it's easy for us to take the communion so lightly and do it as a Christian ritual. Rather than approaching it with gratitude for God's grace and remembering Christ's death on the cross for our salvation, we fail to remember the reason for taking Eucharist.
In Luke22;17-20, we read Jesus offering bread to His disciples at the last supper and telling them" This is my body which is given for you;do this in remembrance of Me." Later, He offers the cup of wine to them and saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you." I was glad that the youth pastor brought to light the significance of taking the communion and to caution us to not to intake it as any other bread or wine.
As we were keenly watching the screen and taking in what the pastor was preaching that morning, an odd squeaking sound started coming from outside. It sounded as though someone was playing with a squeaky toy just outside the foyer's door. I got annoyed thinking some bored teens must be keeping them entertained by making such odd noises. The "holier than you" in me hates any kind of disturbance while I'm listening to the sermon. I expect people to give reverence to the place.and to give respect to those who want to worship in a quiet place. It annoys me to see people walking casually into the sanctuary with cup of coffee in hand, dressed in shorts and sit cross legged.
After all it's God's house and don't we show some reverence to the place of worship? Probably, because I was born and raised in the Eastern hemisphere,and was used to enter worship places barefooted and in silence out of reverence, I carry this view. But to my sadness, in the West, especially in the evangelical circle, my opinion doesn't go well. Church is a place of fellowship more than a center for worship, I was told when I confronted a pastor once on this matter.
As long as people get a chance to hear the message, it doesn't matter how they come or sit in the church, I was made to understand. Maybe they're are right and I'm so old fashioned. But, on the other hand, if we see in the view of David, who sang " Holiness adorns Your house, O Lord forever." Psalm 93:5, and " Oh worship the Lord in the beauty of Holiness" 1 Chronicles 16: 29, I wonder how many would agree with me today, but surely David would, I presume.
So, when my time of worship was disturbed by the squeaking sound last Sunday I was naturally annoyed to the brim. But soon my annoyance turned into joyfulness when the source of the squeaky sound walked in through the door with wobbly legs. It was none other than a sweet little toddler with squeaking soles and twinkling lights on her shoes. Her light spring jacket thrown over shoulders, the little girl with a chubby face and short black hair walked in with her mom trailing behind. Caring less of the disturbance she was causing in the foyer, the little angel kept walking around and noting everything around with keen interest. It was truly an awesome moment to watch the precious little Asian toddler walking around like an angel from heaven, and lighting up the place. T
he squeaky sound which annoyed me a little earlier became a joyful beat to my ears now. Soon, she was gone, squeaking her heels and toddling behind her mom. But we, who were seated in the foyer couldn't get her squeaky feet out of our minds for a long time.
Aren't we all thankful for the little children,brown, black, yellow or white , who make the world so beautiful with their lovable faces, laughter, and innocent approach to life? It doesn't surprise me why our Lord loved them so dearly, and said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven." Mathew 19:14.
Yes, last Sunday morning I was blessed to learn the significance of taking in the communion bread and wine with gratitude, and to have the joy of listening to the squeaky steps of an adorable toddler.
I must say it was one of a kind of Sunday service experience for me.
