When you hear the word “church” what do you think of? Is it a building, an event or something more personal?
In this day and age, it has generally been accepted that “the church” isn’t just a building on the corner but is instead those who believe Jesus to be the Son of God, their personal Savior and soon coming King.
However, in years past, it had been the common conviction that a certain building was a holy place and it was there and there alone, that God could be worshipped…
Have you ever heard someone say, “Don’t do that in church or you shouldn’t act like that, you’re in church”? That person is holding a building in reverence. The true church is not made of brick and mortar but of living stones – people set apart and dedicated unto the Lord.
Dave and I had the privilege to hold Cowboy Church meetings at High School, College and Junior Rodeos for several years here in Arizona…Our gatherings were in arena grandstands, pastures, and open clearings next to a set of corrals. This is where the church came together for fellowship and worship.
We were at a Junior Rodeo in Florence, Arizona when I had a mother of one of the competitors tell me that their Youth Pastor had told the kids that if they truly loved the Lord they would have to give up rodeo because it stopped them from coming to church. You can imagine my shock!
These kids attended every service; they brought their Bibles and listened attentively while the teaching was being given. Then they would leave and go compete in their events. They honored God at every rodeo. I had one girl come to me crying when one of the services was over. Her horse had pulled up lame and she was beside herself with worry.
I asked if we could go look at her horse together. She took me to where it was. Sure enough, he couldn’t put any weight on his back left leg. There was no way she was going to be able to compete, or at least that is how it appeared.
I asked her a couple of questions – do you love the Lord? Do you know that God loves you? Do you think God is a good God? She answered yes to all of them. Then I told her we were going to pray and ask the Lord to heal her horse and that I believed He would.
“The Lord will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy and loving-kindness, O Lord, endure forever—forsake not the works of Your own hands.” Psalm 138:8 AMPC
“Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.” Jeremiah 33:3 KJV
I explained these verses to her. Since she was concerned about her horse Psalms stated that God would make perfect the things that concern her. Then in Jeremiah, we are told to call on the Lord and He will show us great and mighty things. So, we were going to pray and tell the Lord what concerned her, ask Him to heal her horse and ask the Lord to show us great things.
We did and He did!
Now that my friend is having church. This young woman left the rodeo that weekend knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that God met her there. She knew He loved her and was involved with what concerned her. Her horse was healed, and she was able to compete, and she gave God all the glory!
We, followers of Christ, are the church and whenever we get together, He is present with us.
A lot has been said about limited gatherings during COVID but a virus can’t stop church. We can experience God’s presence camping, on the phone, through an email, streaming through the airways or with two or three friends.
The Church triumphant is alive, we are alive, and well!