A Truck on the Altar
This past Sunday’s 11 AM worship service was unusual. There were many empty pews and the smallest attendance I can remember in the past few years! I found out afterwards that there were many reasons for the absences, mostly because of travels. While we always want to see growth in the church and welcome more people each week, sometimes a smaller gathering reveals God’s glory in a different way.
For me, that moment happened in the children’s moments on Sunday. I had planned to serve the children Holy Communion and explain the basics of what the Sacrament meant. My young friend, Collier, was the only child who came forward that day. After he shared what he did that was fun last week (he saw cowboys, horses, and cows!), we went to the Communion table as I had planned. He received the bread, and we said our prayer as we normally do. It wasn’t until after the prayer that I noticed something. Collier had brought a toy truck with him. When I asked him to come to the table, without prompting he had laid the truck on the altar to free up his hands for Holy Communion. After he’d eaten and we prayed, he picked the truck back up again and headed out for children’s church.
Are we as quick to lay down our toy trucks as Collier was when Jesus calls us to his table? Or do we keep our hands so full of trinket worries that we struggle to receive his grace?
One verse of the beloved hymn, “Rock of Ages,” says, “Nothing in my hands I bring/Simply to thy cross I cling.” Jesus calls us each and everyday to empty our hands so we can cling to the love of the cross. Will we follow the example of our little brother and do so effortlessly?
all good things to each of you,
Pastor Darian
Lectionary Texts for Sunday, October 13, 2019
Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7
Psalm 66:1-12
2 Timothy 2:8-15
Luke 17:11-19
Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7
Psalm 66:1-12
2 Timothy 2:8-15
Luke 17:11-19