As I was checking off my “to-do” list this week, I became a bit melancholy when I realized I wouldn’t be sending out the weekly service order email to our staff and worship team. Just a few months ago I was contemplating how monotonous it had become to carry out this task each week. I also counted up the number of service orders I’ve been privileged to type up over the years–in the neighborhood of 1,000. Wow! Now that we aren’t gathering together on Sunday (except for live stream), it has become a task that I miss.
Today a sweet couple in our church drove in to deliver their tithe check. It was such a huge blessing to see them, and fellowship with them, even if we stayed separated down the hall from each other. As people take a range of precautions during this worldwide pandemic, we begin to realize how much “getting together” is such a huge part of our life that we take for granted. I’m sure those feelings will only increase over the days and weeks ahead.
The prospect of missing the weekly and mid-week gatherings at our church is also somewhat saddening. Just as sports arenas and music halls have shut their doors across this nation, many houses of worship are closing their doors to the gathering together of God’s people. I’m not sure how long these guidelines of quarantine and social distancing will be in place, but I think it’s appropriate to yearn and long for these social gatherings to return. God’s people–even scattered–desire to be together.
When the time comes that we are free to gather together again without fear or concern of catching or transmitting a deadly virus, Psalm 122:1 will have a whole new meaning and relevance for each believer. We will exclaim with joy, “I was glad when they said unto me, ‘Let us go into the house of the Lord.'” That will be an awesome day!
Until then, we will continue to do what believers in every era have had to do: trust God. May He count us faithful in the task at hand.