By Kathleen Kjolhaug
Prayerful Encapsulations The four teens lingered in the back pew as parents one row ahead looked not on. Each of the four swaggered to the tune sung as hand held hymnals anchored. Heads bowed—prayerfully encapsulating words mouthed as they joined in without a trace of noncompliance among em.
“Look, they’re singing,” the one beside me whispered. A novelty from our vantage point it was—only because we don’t usually sit in the very last pew along the back wall of the sanctuary which is even further back than the back pew on either side of the aisles. For some reason, today, we parked there and truth-be-told, we rather liked it.
“A person sure notices a lot sitting back here, don’t they?” he commented not so quietly. I smiled within as he expressed his thoughts aloud. Norwegians don’t usually express too much—at least not mine. Perhaps it was the Swedish side of him coming out all sweet like.
Directly across from the teens, on the other side of the aisle, a young family nestled. The youngest hung around mama’s neck dangling like a fine piece of jewelry as they leaned into one another. Blessed assurance it was. Another little one sat between two adults, feet not yet touching floor below pew. Papa leaned over to share songbook—souls bonding as he pointed to each word sung. Eyes glued, she followed. He pointed the way. She followed. One day she’ll step out on her own to follow Him and until then, she’s practicing while He holds fast.
A few rows up sat another connected crew for such a time as this. A mama’s lap is never big enough—yet there’s always room—always room for one more. It’s a Sunday morning offering of sorts and so it goes.
So it goes row after row as the communion of saints gather. We gather because we can. We gather because we hear His Word proclaimed. We gather side-by-side because while Christ walked the earth, He gathered people and they listened to His Word spoken.
He says in Matthew 18:20 “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” He says in Hebrews10:25, “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some; but exhorting one another and so much more, as ye see the day approaching.”
He says in Acts 2:42, “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.”
As the community of saints gather each Sunday, may you find rest in knowing there is a place for you among them. If you do not have a community in which to worship, I invite you to seek until you find. I invite you to knock until the door opens. “…For those who seek, will find.
Those who knock, the door will be opened unto you” (Matthew 7:7). Amen.
