What I Learned at Church This Week

After the early service at church last Sunday, I had a conversation with a friend. He commented on a prayer I'd offered in the early service.  I suppose a little more of my life crept into this prayer, because as I talked with this friend he expressed that the idea of servant-leadership really spoke to him and that he had really been trying to work this out in his own life as a business leader, a husband, and a father. Those last two stuck out to me, because that is what I needed to hear from God this Sunday morning.

I stood there drinking coffee, in the transition time between services thinking about how God comes to us in the most unexpected times; or is God coming to us all the time and we're just not paying attention. So I decided for the rest of the morning to take note of everything that God was trying to tell me that morning at church. Here is the list:

1) Servant leadership is not just a concept for the nation and world; it's probably even more important in the home.

2) Sports and other activities can be a burden or a blessing, it is really depends on what you make them. (learned from non-lesson related conversation in SS)

3) Children are capable of great creativity and great beauty. But they are also capable of the opposite. (learned by watching kids participate in the worship service)

4) Trying to serve your self and serve God leads to either guilt and self-loathing OR obsessive doubt and anger toward God. (learned from the sermon, but it wasn't really the main point, or even any point)

That's just in one Sunday, and only #4 is related to the sermon.  I may post about each of these in the future, but tomorrow I plan on a second round of taking note of what I learn in church.  I know that lot's of people question the value of "Sunday morning church" and see it as more of a relic than relevant, but I really believe that God honors our commitment of time and community and uses this time to both bless and prepare us on our journey.  I look forward to what tomorrow brings.

⁸ Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,
   for I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way I should go,
   for to you I entrust my life.
⁹ Rescue me from my enemies, LORD,
   for I hide myself in you.
¹⁰ Teach me to do your will,
   for you are my God;
may your good Spirit
   lead me on level ground.    (Psalm 143)