Pray for the Empty Seat

September 7, 2023

From Joseph Wamack

“I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord!’”

So begins Psalm 122, which happens to be the Psalm of Ascent we are focused on for this week. It is an apropos psalm for us because many of you will be glad that we are returning (THIS WEEK!) to having two church services-one at 9 AM and the other at 11:15 AM. There are twice as many reasons to be glad, beginning this week and following.

But here is what I want to remind you of, my church family. Twice as many services means twice as much involvement, work, and time commitments for those who are participating in the twice as many services. Twice as much music for the musicians and singers, twice as much deaconing for the deacons and deaconesses, twice as much greeting for the greeters, and twice as much eldering for the elders.

God is good and has given us the privilege of serving Him all the days of our lives and in this case, on Sabbath morning at our church worship services. It can be our greatest blessing to serve Him during the Divine Hour on Sabbath morning. Perhaps you can be more involved and help serve the church on Sabbath?

We are not returning to two church services so that you or I have more room in the pew around us and feel comfortable in our seat. We are not returning to two church services so that you or I can be done with church at a more convenient time for us so we can do other things in the afternoon.

We are returning to two church services so there is room for others to join us. Others such as those who have been watching online but now want to join us, those who have been away for a while but now see “room” to return, or those who have never been to MAC. If you see an empty space in the pews on your left or on your right-pray. Pray for someone to be sitting in that space the next Sabbath. Maybe someone will be sitting there from an invitation from you. Maybe it will be a family member, a coworker, a neighbor, someone you chat with at the gym or library or grocery store.

Of course we want you to feel comfortable and safe in the church and have room while you are seated. But God wants to change lives in the church and that includes you, me, and others. Let’s pray for our pews to be filled-both at 9 and 11:15. See you then!