I usually don’t post anything over the weekend, but thought that on this Valentine’s Day I’d write about the special Valentine in my life!

A few years ago while our family was visiting a dear couple they brought out a violin case and handed it to Allison, our budding violinist. It seems that this violin had been in their family a long time. Neither of them play, but this couple had the hopes that one of their grandchildren would and they could keep the instrument in the family. However, their dream was never realized. This family had learned that Allison was playing a violin that had been loaned to her and that she would need to return it at the end of her high school years. They shared with her that it was their desire to give it to her so it could be used. They hated the thoughts of it just sitting in the case wasting away. They weren’t sure of the value of the instrument, or even if it was usable, but wanted Allison to have it and look it over.

This past November I had the privilege of travelling to New York City with my two sisters. We spent four days touring the city and had the opportunity while we were there to see Mary Poppins on Broadway. I have always loved the movie, and the live performance was absolutely spectacular (or should I say it was, “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious”). Sorry, I couldn’t resist! We ordered our seats on-line and when we got to the theatre we found that we were on the back row of the mezzanine. Needless to say, we weren’t as close as we’d hoped to be, but we learned that there are really no bad seats in a theatre like that; it is designed in such a way that you can see everything quite well, no matter where you’re seated. The small binoculars my sister brought helped seeing the actors and props “up close.” We were a distance away, but we watched in fascination and had an unforgettable evening.

This morning as I read Exodus 32 and 33 I read the story of the children of Israel asking Aaron to make them a god since they figured Moses had gone off and left them for good. Their great sin against the One true God disheartened Moses and angered the Lord. When Moses came down from the mountain it says in chapter 33 that he went out to the tabernacle and pitched it without the camp, afar off from the camp. In verse 8 we read that Moses went out to the tabernacle. Everyone must have been peeking out the door of their tents, because they all saw Moses go to the tabernacle. It reminds me of a child that has disobeyed and has been sent to their room. They sit at the door quietly, knowing that mommy is not happy with them, and they crack the door open and just watch her from their vantage point.

The Israelites watched until Moses disappeared into the tabernacle, but they keep their eyes alert. They then saw the cloudy pillar descend and they knew that Moses was worshipping God inside. Their response? They rose up and worshipped at their tent door. They had a seat in the Mezzanine – and were looking on this great scene from a distance when they could have had a “front row seat! It’s sad that their hearts were in such a condition that they were removed from what was going on at the tabernacle. Perhaps they didn’t feel they could draw nearer and gather outside the tabernacle because of their sin.

It’s also possible for us to worship while peeking out from our “tent door.” We go to church for the worship service and while worship is going on all around us our hearts are disengaged. We’re simply standing at the tent door observing. If our hearts are cold or sinful, we are only bystanders. We sing the songs while our mind is a million miles away. The cloud of God’s presence could descend quite near us, but our mind and thoughts are somewhere else and we are only observers instead of participants.

How can we keep ourselves from being distanced from the Lord while we’re at church?

1. Pray before going to church. Make sure your heart is clean.
2. Ask God to speak to you through the entire service.
3. Be alert through the entire service and be looking for God to speak. It’s easy to get sluggish, isn’t it?
4. Position yourself in the church in a place where you can concentrate. If you can’t hear well, or if there are little people near that distract you, don’t just complain about it, move closer to the front.
5. As you’re singing concentrate on the words. If you’re singing about God’s promises, think of some of those promises while you’re singing.
6. Pray while others are praying.
7. Don’t allow yourself to be a distraction. Try not to leave the service or move about in your seat in a way that would draw attention to yourself.
8. Come prepared to take notes on the things the Lord says to you.
9. If the Lord prompts you to write or call someone that’s absent, write it down so you don’t have to think about it during the service.
10. Summarize the message in a sentence or two and write it down.

Don’t allow yourself to only watch worship taking place from a distance. Draw near to the tabernacle instead of observing from your tent door!

Dwight Marrow, the father of Anne Morrow Lindbergh, once held a dinner party to which Calvin Coolidge had been invited. After Coolidge left, Morrow told the remaining guests that Coolidge would make a good president. The others disagreed. They felt Coolidge was too quiet, that he lacked color and personality. No one would like him, they said. Anne, then age six, spoke up: “I like him,” she said. Then she displayed a finger with a small bandage around it. “He was the only one at the party who asked about my sore finger. “

Showing a bit of compassion to a person makes a huge difference! Jude 22 says, “And of some having compassion, making a difference.” While we understand that this verse is speaking about using compassion to bring back those that have gone astray in apostasy, it has challenged my heart as to how all ministry is to be done, if it’s to accomplish what the Lord would desire.

There are two ways to do ministry – in the flesh and in the spirit. When we serve the Lord in the spirit we will respond in compassionate ways to the needs around us. Would you really want an uncaring nurse to administer your shots to you? Would you appreciate your hostess responding to you in a hostile manner when she learns you have some dietary restrictions? Would you want to be greeted by a cold, unfeeling church member when you’re in the midst of a trial?

We are given a wonderful example of compassion in Acts 9. The character is Dorcas, a follower of Christ’s. She was known by the alms deed and good works she had done for the widows. After she fell sick and died the women mourned her death so much that they sent for Peter. Surely he could do something for her. Here’s a lesson in itself. What will others say when you and I die? Would we be missed so much that others would pray for our resurrection? Would our absence in our home, church, and community leave a void? We are each preaching our funeral while we live!

When Peter arrived they spread out the coats and garments that Dorcas had made for them; this was the demonstration of her compassion for these widows. If all our compassionate efforts were spread out in front of others what would we have to show? Would there be evidence that we cared, that we took time to provide a meal for someone? That we had graciously spent time writing a note of encouragement to someone in the midst of a difficulty? It’s so easy to get caught up in our own little world that we miss out on opportunities to show compassion. Dorcas made the Gospel believable by her acts of mercy, coupled with a heart that moved her efforts along like the current of a waterfall. Her life was constantly pouring out good works. We know that these works don’t save a person. We could never do enough good to pay the ransom for our soul. Christ did that on the cross. Our works, however, show that our faith is not dead (James 2:26b).

The ladies’ ministry at Boones Creek Bible Church should give opportunities for us to link arms and show compassion. We can encourage each other in doing that first in our individual homes (sometimes the easiest place to neglect). Our efforts should then run to the church and then our community. Be alert to the opportunities that the Lord brings your way individually, then be listening for announcements in the future for our ladies to work together to show compassion and make a difference. Someone out there has a bandaged finger; let’s find them and minister to them, and in so doing make the Gospel believable!