Pharisee Part 9 - Church

I owe this post to my friend Dave.

I am thankful for many things. My wife, my daughter, my family and my friends. My wife made it home safely from her trip to Guatemala yesterday. On Saturday, I spent a great day with my daughter snorkeling the reefs off of Key Largo, in some of the most breathtaking waters in the world. I served dinner for my parents and my wife's mom on Friday, and my awesome niece Emily. We then watched Peter Seller's The Party. It was a great Friday night.

Yesterday while attending worship service, I got up to take my daughter to children's church. My friend Dave stopped me as I walked down the aisle. "Marcos", he whispered, "Here's that Cuban leaf cigar I told you about." Dave handed me a beautiful cigar, right after a time of worship, as our pastor began praying in preparation of a message on spiritual and physical healing. in speaking of spiritual healing, my pastor spoke of the need to be healed from things like self-righteousness, resentment, anger, jealousy, anxiety; you know... some of the feelings that may be creeping up in you right now at the thought of a cigar being handed to me in "church".

This weekend I went to church. Everyday, from Friday over spaghetti and meatballs and good wine with my family, to Saturday swimming among the bright colors of God's underwater creation with my little girl, to worship on Sunday with the added bonus of a cigar, culminating with the safe return of my wife; all of these things created elements of what it means to have church. They all brought me to reflect on my God and his amazing love and grace extended to me.

We cheapen the idea of church when we limit it to walking into a building for 2 hours on a Sunday. We miss the grace and love of God when we spend our time thinking about church, instead of enjoying church.

Thanks for the cigar Dave.