Submitted by Pastor Dave Snyder
Parsons Church of God
I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord. Psalms 122:1
Eagerly, the nine-year old turned the church door knob. Pushed the door open and bounded into the small sanctuary. Sunday afternoon sunlight filled the room – exposing hundreds of dust particles in its rays. A slight breeze blew through the open windows.
Basking in the silence, the boy sat down on the rough pews in various sections of the church, first in the rear, then the middle, finally in the front. This was his peaceful place; this was his sanctuary. So different from the loud arguing and violence that were the by-products of his father’s alcohol addiction, the two mile hike to church was well worth the effort.
As he changed pews, the boy talked to God – the God he knew would listen. He couldn’t help but feel that God was his audience of one and that he had His full attention. In a few hours, other worshipers would join him, but right now, the place was his own. Then his attention turned to the piano.
Awkwardly he tried to pick out the notes to various hymns of the church. One mistake caused him to start over again… after all, it had to be right! Little did he know that God would use music as a key to keep him close to church and close to Christ – all because of the unlocked church door.
Time has not changed the effect of that door. That door draws the rejected child to the God who rejects no one. That door beckons the man bound by addiction to alcohol, drugs and pornography to freedom that only comes through the Holy Spirit of God. That door calls the abused woman to healing of her body, soul, mind and spirit. The unlocked church door waits for them to push it open.
By the way, the nine-year old boy was…Me.
