September 01, 2009
The Lost
Many years ago my husband and I purchased 300 paperback Kiamichi Favorite Songs and Hymns for our church. Every month or so on a Sunday evening we’d break out the books and folks picked their favorite old-time hymns to sing. During the 1990’s there were quite a few turnovers with ministers and one new youth minister took it upon himself to clean house by throwing all the books in the trash. Needless to say I was hurt, distraught and angry that this young man hadn’t bothered to ask anyone in the congregation if they wanted to keep the books or to even give them to another Christian group. Last Sunday evening we had our first sing-a-long in our new church and lo and behold there were the green covered Kiamichi books that we’re purchased over 20 years ago. I couldn’t believe my eyes. Unbeknownst to me, one box of the books had survived on a family’s storage shelf because every year they were being used for the church camping trip. I can so relate to the parables of the Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin …Just as the parables say, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my Lost Kiamichi hymn books’. (Luke 15)
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1 comment:
Gail;
-----You have found more than your lost Kiamichi Hymn Books at your new church. You are finding the true nature of fellowship that was thrown out the back door of XYZ Church. The Holy Spirit did not inspire Paul and others to write into the Word all the authority and control for church leaders and officials to use in defining how believers gathering in their presence were to worship and what the songs they sang to one another and to God (Eph 5:19) were to sound like. They forgot that these believers were gathering in God’s presence to worship Him and to serve one another. They forgot they were to serve them by encouraging godly attitudes of sharing in each other’s interests (Philippians 2:4), pleasing one another (Rom 15:2), and doing good to all men (Gal 6:10), outdoing one another in showing honor (Rom 12:10). They were too blind to see that Jesus presented to us as the true nature of love and serving Him the necessity to love and serve those who love Him (Mathew 25:37-40). I am warmed that you found those hymn books. I believe God directs little events to somewhat indicate His approval or disapproval with our general behaviors and states of affairs. I can see this box of hymn books as being a little thank you card from God saying, “Thank you for being faithful to love one another in my Son’s true nature.”
Love you all,
Steve Corey
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