BUSTIN' UP N 'Chere!

We were late to the 'grand opening' of the new church building. The worship was already in progress. As we stood in the foyer, my husband Scott, came up with an idea. When he opened the door I was to slip in. With one swift move, the moment the door parted I was in front of the door's companion. The miscalculation that the double doors were solid and not hollow core, made the sudden impact on the back pew that much more resonant.

A quick look to my left I was able to see the kid that had been sitting in that pew was airborne. Could it be from the inertia from the door to pew contact? When fear strikes an individual, a response often called "fight-or-flight" occurs. From all appearances, he chose the 'flight' plan. 

If the noise caused me to look, it only took my returned gaze back to the front of the church to realize it caused the same reaction with the rest of the congregation. They were all looking back at us. Always one to speak the first thing that comes to her mind, I said, "Well, we're here!"

Scott asked me later why I didn't just quietly step back into the foyer where we could have made a quick get a way. I told him after we made so much noise busting in like we owned the place, it was the only thing I could think of. (Rumor has it that after several more occasions of the door/pew connection, they shortened the pew!)

Reflection on what seemed like a confident entrance on our part brought new revelation. We should be able to walk as one having authority, our 'Dad' owns the place! The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof. [One exception to God's ownership might be a church this one guy tried to join. The deacons met him at the door. To his request to come in, they gave him a list of things he needed to do before he was welcomed. After several attempts and his fulfillment of each list, the deacons still didn't let him in. Dejected he sat on the church steps. God joined him. The man apologized, "I'm sorry God. I tried everything but I still can't get in." God replied, "That's alright my child, I've been trying to get into this church for years!"]

"…the people who know their God will display strength and take action." Daniel 11:32

The secret is in the knowing. Defining the particular Hebrew word for know in this verse can mean "to know by experience."

A perfect example of being armed with the knowledge of what his God could and would do, a ten year old David confronted Goliath! Even at that young age, he had experienced God with the killing of the lion and the bear. Grown ups saw Goliath as too big to kill, David saw him as too big to miss! When people are lion about you, or troubles of life are bear-ing down, have a child's attitude, "My DAD is bigger than your dad!". (The correlating scripture; "Greater is HE that is in you than he that is in the world.")

If 'lions, tigers, and bears, oh my' don't come into your life, you'll never gain the experience of knowing what God will do for you in a desperate situation. So, "Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. …God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. " James 1