Yesterday, Sunday, I sang at a memorial service for a woman at my church who passed away while we were on vacation. I attend a church of about 100 people and much to my shame, I had only spoken to her once or twice since I began attending about a year and a half ago. Francis went in to the hospital for what appeared to be a simple procedure on her foot where during and after sugery she suffered a series of heart attacks that took her life. It is my understanding that she had been plagued by illness most of her adult life and at 58 her body was not able to take any more. She always sat at the end of the second row in church, with her illuminated magnifying glass to read the songsheets to the songs we would be singing that day. A kind soul never forgot to place those sheets on that row for her to use. She was quiet, sweet and full of the love of Christ and it is my great loss to have missed the opportunity to really get to know her. You see, I have my mission when I go to the church building. I have to get there an hour early to prepare the worship team for the music we will be singing. After we practice, I share a devotional and we pray. Then it is time to begin the service. At the end of the service I am most always back at the piano and I play a few moments while the congregation exits. Then I meet up with my family and we have the all important decision of where we will eat that day. Somehow, during my mission, I can't help but feel I am missing the point of corporate worship, iron sharpening iron, fellowship of the saints, so on and so forth. Who is at fault here, the congregation who expects me to be in in my place, the pastor who needs me to be prepared and ready to lead in worship, or me? I willingly admit that I am the one who lets these divine appointments escape. After attending Francis' service and hearing and seeing all of the wonderful things said in her honor I had to ask myself, what will be remembered most about me? I hope that I will be remembered for pointing others to Christ. To do this I need to focus more on His mission and less on my own.
These are my thought today, such as they are.
God Bless!
