July 25th
Read: Heb.10:24-26; James 5:13-20; 1 Cor. 15:13-16; Eph. 4:1-16
When I lived in Rochester, New York, I watched a neighborhood church burn until it was just a brick shell. It wasn’t our church, but friends of ours stood and wept as their church building was destroyed. I wept with them. Recently in our nation there have been a succession of churches burned out, buildings which have been erected with hard work and sacrifice on the part of congregations. My heart is sad for them.
What we must remember, however, is that Christ’s church is the people, the believers who worship God in a building but who do not need that building in order to function as a church. A congregation in Tucson, Arizona, is worshipping in a large tent while they await the rebuilding of their church building following a fire. Some believers worship in schools or town halls until they can afford to build. Wherever worship happens God is pleased to honor it. The important thing is to worship God with other believers wherever they meet.
AS THE PHOENIX
The echo of the tolling bell
Reverberates from off the fell,
Ringing wild throughout the dell,
Its sound becoming knell.
The heart within doth give a lurch
As smoke climbs high to dark besmirch
The sky above the little church
Hid close among the birch.
Water drawn from out the well
Cannot come fast enough to quell
The blaze whose hellish flames impel
The eyes thereon to dwell.
The summoning bell doth cease its toll,
And the worship place of many a soul
Lies, smoking shell, upon the knoll
Where once it stood all whole.
But there amid the white birch trees
The congregation seeks its knees,
Then lifts to God its ardent pleas,
And peace springs like a breeze.
For all are there amid the tears,
The old and those of tender years,
Safe in spite of all their fears,
Thankful that God hears.
There, in Sunday-best arrayed,
Their willing hearts and hands displayed,
With hope renewed, they’re undismayed,
And building plans are laid.
Prayer: Dear God, help me to think of churches as groups of believers rather than as buildings. Then help me to be more faithful to assemble and worship You.