I nearly slipped and fell as I stepped onto my driveway. But I made it to the street and learned quickly why the usual matte black finish of the pavement was now shimmering under the streetlight. Ice. The last wave of the winter storm brought freezing rain and drizzle turning concrete and pavement into a skating rink.

My heart sank. It is Sunday. And the prospects for maintaining the already pared down winter weather church schedule were growing bleak. A couple of hours and a few phone calls later the cancellation call was made. It was the wise thing to do, but it was, nevertheless, a difficult thing to do.

At one time in my religious past such cancellations left me riddled with guilt. I would rather have died trying to get to the church building than run the risk that God, Himself, would strike me dead for not trying. And while I still battle legalism in my flesh, the more Gospel I understand the more my motivation changes.

What bothers me now about days like this is not merely the not being at church. After all I was able to watch a video of a chapel service from Southern Seminary and my wife and I watched a Giglio Passion Talk on the Twelve Words of Christmas. I’ve actually been preached to twice on a day when I would have normally done the preaching.

So what bothers me is not that I’m not somewhere I should have been but that I’m not somewhere I wanted to be. I miss basking in the glory of God with the people of God. I miss hearing the Word of God in the company of the saints. I miss joining my voice with hundreds of other voices to exalt God while exulting in God together. I miss sharing life here with those with whom I will share Life forever. I miss heralding the Gospel of the Kingdom while praying that God would open the hearts of others to join me in its eternal citizenship.

And so, church, I missed you today. Ministry is not my job. I don’t show up on Sunday to go to work. I come together with you for His glory, grateful that I get to share life for His glory with you.

And I look forward to being together with you again soon. I want to see you and talk with you and laugh with you and cry with you. And above all, I want to rejoice in God’s glory with you through His Son, Jesus.

Until then,
Brent

The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen. (1 Corinthians 16:23–24 ESV)