During a recent visit to a
struggling church there were only three of us in attendance. One man was at
retirement age and the other man was well beyond retirement. Both gentlemen
have had heath issues and are unable to keep up with the facility maintenance. The
pastor said, “Once in a while we have visitors and can fill a [pew] row. We don’t
have any youth programs, so I can see why people with children want to go other
churches. We continue to be faithful here until God says shut the door…which
may be sooner rather than later.” As an observer it appeared to me that the Lord
had already shut the door. I couldn’t help but wonder if, rather than praying
for the Lord to shut the door, they should be praying for the Lord to open a
door. Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “I do not want to see you now and make
only a passing visit; I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord
permits. But I will stay on at Ephesus until
Pentecost, because a great door for effective work has
opened to me, and there are many who oppose me” (1 Cor 16:7-9 NIV).
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