I attended CPC last Sunday morning from a cabin in upstate South Carolina. And it was wonderful.
But I almost didn't.
Barb and I were in South Carolina because I had the great privilege of officiating on Saturday the wedding ceremony of Camden Vaughn and Katie Graeber. For accommodations, we found a delightful and isolated cabin in the woods. What sounds like the set up for a horror film was in fact our happy place for a brief period of rest and renewal.
Plus, it had good WiFi.
So, on Sunday morning at 10:30 a.m., we joined with CPC in worship. You could not see us and unless you, too, were monitoring the Facebook feed. You would not have known we were there. But we knew we were there, and though it is not the same as being present in person, we were able to be present with you in a way we never would have before.
We got to sing with you and pray with you and we got to see Jon tear up as he spoke of Julianna's leaving home. Our daughter's four sons gathered around the iPad and interacted with Elizabeth as she told of Jesus seeking the lost sheep.
And yet, I was willing to let the opportunity slip. I reasoned that with the cabin full of people and the day already disrupted with non-routine realities that we should just let it slip this one time. As you know doubt know, of course, when we are talking about disciplines, it's never just one time. I missed running Sunday morning and the next thing I knew, I'd gone six days without running, and my body paid the price on the seventh day. The same thing can happen with worship, either virtual or physical.
Thankfully, though, I married a woman who is more faithful than I, who raised a daughter who also is faithful, and they agreed, "Oh, I think we can do this." And so we did.
I share this story as a tribute to those who are going to the effort to get these services online. You are doing a good work serving those who for whatever reason cannot get to church. We are grateful for you!
I share it as well to encourage those like me tempted to let worship slide. I plead with you to not let that happen. Habits broken are habits hard to rebuild. Worship is a habit. It is a spiritual discipline. It is what we call a means of grace: a way in which God works his character into ours. Though online worship is not ideal, it serves a function for the present, as worship does always, to prepare and encourage us for works of service in Christ's kingdom.
