Christmas Eve

This morning, I attended Christmas Eve services in a church that had been ravaged by Hurricane Harvey.

They had set up a makeshift worship center in the gym, because the sanctuary was still...well, uninhabitable, so to speak.  The gym wasn't in much better shape.

The first thing I noticed when I walked in was the smell.  Even after three and a half months, I could still smell the flood waters.  The siding hadn't been replaced, and the floor in the foyer was bare concrete. 

Off to the left sat rolls and rolls of carpet -- enough to recarpet the entire church.  It had all been donated.  Stacks of building supplies, and things they had salvaged from the storm's aftermath were piled in boxes around the room.  Some of the doors were missing.  Even the ceiling tiles were damaged in spots.  There were no pews, just a mix and match of whatever chairs and seats they could cobble together.  Oh, there were enough for every one, but only just.

You would think that would be enough.  Enough to cause despair.  Enough to think God has turned his back on them.  Yet, as the worship service progressed, I watched the people.  I studied their faces -- faces of people who just a few short weeks ago had had to sit helplessly by and watch nature's savage fury rip away everything they owned -- and saw none of that.  There was weariness, yes, but in those faces -- the faces of those people sitting in that damaged church, I saw something more.  I saw faith.  I saw strength.  I saw resilience.

And I saw joy.

Joy, because long ago, in a tiny little town called Bethlehem, God showed us that he will never forsake us, even in the worst of times.  Joy, because they knew no matter what we are going through, he will be there with us.

Joy, because the Lord is come.

This morning, I attended Christmas Eve services in a church ravaged...no, this morning I attended Christmas Eve services in a building ravaged by Hurricane Harvey.  The church is fine.  The church is strong.  The church is filled with joy.

Because the Lord is come.

Let Heaven and nature sing!