All services have been dismissed for fellow worshipers today, because of yesterday’s ice storm. (My daughter is still at her friend’s house, 40 miles away, having half-expectedly stayed a second night.)
At nine a.m., the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences imploded a 50-year-old student dorm and the sound of its destruction rumbled across Little Rock like thunder.
After the debris is cleared away, there will be a big hole on campus.
It won’t be anything like the one I have in my day today. I already miss co-teaching my class on Revelation; being uplifted by the corporate worship; sharing at the Lord’s table … even hearing my preaching minister’s wrap-up of his multi-month series about the Sermon on the Mount. (Don’t tell him I admitted that, though.)
Today won’t be the same without my children at my side in the worship center. It won’t be the same, waiting for the noise before second worship hour to diminish so that the leader can be heard. It won’t be the same, not hearing the fellowship in the foyer after worship.
Oh, I can still worship in my heart, in my closet, on my own. I can worship with what I have available of my family right here in my own home.
But there’s a reason why Jesus wants us to gather in His name, frequently, and remember Him together.
And on days like this, I understand His reason a little more deeply.
Blog In My Own Eye 
Sometimes the only way to truly aprreciate something is to be separated from it.
Keith, last night at our small group meeting, we were asked “what are the components of ‘church’?”This was in response to a service a couple of weeks ago which had some irregularities in it, and which some voiced concern over. Our group leader is trying to get us to discuss and think and prod and poke and decide what is an irregularity that we can live with, and what is not. The points brought up in our brief mtg. last night were the usual parts that you would expect in an assembly, and then that we are the church, and the assembly is not really the church. We are all to discuss this as families this week, and come back ready to add to the discussion next Sunday night.All that was said to say this: I plan on printing this blog post, and the one you did recently on women in the New Testament vs. women in our heritage for the last 100 years or so, and taking those to the meeting. I think you said it very well. Also, everybody knows that if you cite an expert from out of town, your arguments are received better, so you are now the expert from out of town. (Don’t worry, I wouldn’t do that to you.) Also, we are not really arguing, it is a good genuine discussion going on, and very healthy.Anyway, thanks for getting us to discuss and think and prod and poke and decide here in your ramblings. They are always good for me to read. I appreciate you.
Great post, bro. Don is wise to take your posts to discuss at his small group. You will then be a blessing to those folks also!“Don’t forsake the assembly” was for our own good…….not to be a rule that became a burden. Wow, we really know how to screw things up don’t we? God forgive us,DU