A day in worship . . .

Yesterday was a rough day for the Euphrony Family. Liler'E has had an ear infection, and his sleep has been short and fitful the last few days. Then, early Sunday morning, Lil'E threw up and was running a little fever. So, between the sick and the tired we did not make it to church services on Sunday morning. That does not mean we were not able to spend the day in worship.

While I watched the kids, Mrs. E did some shopping Sun day afternoon. Part of what she bought was a gift for a four-year old girl at Medina Children's Home. When Lil'E saw the gift (a comforter for her bed) she asked what it was and who it was for. Mrs. E explained that it was for a little girl her age who did not have a mommy and daddy that could take care of her. This fact rocked her pre-schooler world.

As her eyes got bigger, and she contemplated how such a thing could be, I made a suggestion: "Lil'E, would you like to write a letter to her?" She agreed enthusiastically. Here is the letter she dictated and I transcribed.

Dear _____,
I have never seen you, but I want to give you this comforter for your bed. We are the same age. You are 4 and I am 4. If I see you, I know your name; it is _____. My name is _______. I love everybody I do know and everybody I don't know, and I love you.

Merry Christmas,

Deep theology and beautiful worship from the heart of a girl of four. So simple and caring, it makes me ashamed of the trappings I often find myself wrapped within.

Later that evening, I had to run an errand up to the church building to get some papers. Since it was mostly car time, I took Lil'E with me to give her a change to get out of the house. Because of where our building is located, we get a fair amount of traffic from people off the street looking for something or asking for a handout. As I was checking my box, a man and woman came up to us. They asked how old Lil'E was, and told me the story of how the woman's daughter in Oklahoma (who is the same age as Lil'E) was riding her bike and was hit, had to be flown to Fort Worth, and they needed gas money to go there right away. I lead them around the corner and filled up their gas tank, answering the questions Lil'E posed as to who they were and what we were doing.

Were they telling the truth, or just looking for a handout? You can file that under the list of question's I'll never get around to asking God in His kingdom. I just don't care; I'm grateful to have been there - to help or be suckered, whichever.

I'm also profusely grateful for the opportunity our family had to worship Jehovah and show Lil'E just what worship really is about.

²For day after day they seek me out; they seem eager to know my ways,
as if they were a nation that does what is right
and has not forsaken the commands of its God.
They ask me for just decisions and seem eager for God to come near them.
³'Why have we fasted,' they say, 'and you have not seen it?
Why have we humbled ourselves, and you have not noticed?'
"Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your workers.
⁴Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife, and in striking each other with wicked fists.
You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high.
⁵Is this the kind of fast I have chosen, only a day for a man to humble himself?
Is it only for bowing one's head like a reed and for lying on sackcloth and ashes?
Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the LORD?
⁶"Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?
⁷Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter--
when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
⁸Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.
⁹Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.
"If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
¹⁰and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.

Isaiah 58:2-10 (NIV)

Tags: Worship, Giving, Love, Charity