Thankful For My Drug Problem

We were never given an option when it came to sleeping in or participating in activities on a Sunday morning.  As a matter of fact, my parents had a routine that started Saturday evenings.  It started after dinner; lay your clothes out for church, shine your shoes, take a bath, and possibly a quick review of scripture memorization.  It was to bed early on Saturday nights. I never minded going to church.

I remember a battle with my older brother that my parents would often have.  He was drug to church – there were a few times in high school that I remember my dad coming into my room and saying something like, “get up – you want to stay out all night on a Saturday, the least you can do is get your lazy body out of bed… “and on and on.  Like a lot of teenagers, I had those days that I too would be drug to church.

But I’m thankful that I was drugged to church.  Here’s why.

1)   I realize all churches have issues.  I saw my church go through lots of issues like building programs, capital fund campaigns, relocation, and people problems.  Today, I am able to love people and serve the church with great compassion and understanding. I understand the lifecycle of a church.

2)   I learned that most pastors are genuine servants that have responded to a special call upon their life to lead others.  I adored my pastors.  They were heroes to me.  They were kind and fair.  They were always prepared and nothing seemed to rock their world. Their self-control was amazing. C.W Baldwin, Tom Malbone, Jim Fox and for a short time Tom Smith; amazing men that loved God, served the church selflessly, and treated me without exception like I was special.  I am convinced that these men of God are the number one reason I was able to hear the call of God on my life so clearly.

3)   The church set my compass.  The consistency of the message of salvation, grace and holiness resonated in my life just as loudly as all the other messages of the world like success, win, and happiness.  I suppose I have a combination of all those voices contributing to my values today.  I can’t imagine what life would be like had the church not had such a defining voice in my life.

4)   I grew up in a church where excellence in worship was celebrated and honored.  It was not a large church but I learned to appreciate excellence in worship.  Not style. Not preferences. Excellence.  It taught me that God deserves our best in worship.

5)   I was surrounded by good people.  Not perfect people.  Good people that genuinely loved God and occasionally would slip up.  People that were passionate about budgets, bylaws, serving, and missions.  They were people that loved to pray, use the altar, and celebrated with food a lot.  They laughed, cried, clapped, sang, prayed, mourned, and learned with one another. 

I will be 50 years old this year and when Saturday evening arrives, I still find myself thinking about clothes, shining my shoes, and dragging myself to church on Sunday Morning only now, “I am so glad when they to me, let us go to the house of the Lord.”