The Community Word

As a girl I spent a lot of time in church. My dad had a key to the building and we often arrived early so he could check the sound system and set up mikes. During those seemingly endless hours, I explored every crevice of the sanctuary, participated in races under the pews (the sanctuary was 3/4 of a city block long) and learned how to say “test, test, test, test 1-2-3″ in a microphone until my voice boomed from the rafters.

I loved being at church so much I began hiding under the pews when it was time to go home. If it wasn’t for the fact that I had a kid brother who kept blowing my cover, I believed I could’ve stayed forever.

I soon found myself praying, “Please God, let me live at your house.”

I don’t remember how many times that request formed in my little heart, but somehow it got buried under the hundreds of thousands of prayers I’ve uttered since. In fact, I forgot all about it until just last month when God chose to answer my childhood prayer.

Now, let me state that I honestly never thought that a prayer like that would ever be answered. I mean, children don’t really know what they’re asking for, and their prayers can seem pretty silly. After all, church is not a real “house” that we live in. It’s a metaphor, right?

Of course it is. That’s why my prayer wasn’t answered in the way my juvenile mind had perceived. Instead, the answer came in an inconceivably, unbelievably incomprehensible way - in other words, God’s way.

It all started with a job interview in 06 for a church secretary position. I wasn’t hired, but the position was only part time so I couldn’t have accepted even if it had been offered. I thought that door was closed for good, but in God’s prayer-answering department, a silly, childhood wish was about to come true.

November 07 was falling off the calendar when God set in motion a series of unique circumstances that culminated in a full-time job offer with that church - my church. The moment the offer came, God brought to mind my little prayer and I realized something that I had been taught all my life but never quite believed: God knows the desire of my heart and he takes it very seriously.

As a child, I thought that physically staying in the church building meant that I would always feel good and always make God happy. Now I know that my desire was not for a building, but for a relationship. I wanted to always be with, and work with, those who love and seek God with their whole heart.

This long-time desire has been sustained through the years on several scriptures that I’ve always loved, but never realized until now that they became the pillars that have held firm this desire my entire life.

“For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I’d rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in tents of wickedness.” Psalm 84:10.

“Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4.

There are so many, many more verses like those, but this column could not stretch far enough to contain them all. Suffice it to say that the pew races were the humble beginning of a deep and enduring love for God’s house.

Editorial note: the author does not endorse pew racing as an acceptable form of church behavior; please do not send this article to her parents.