By Matt Prater
I was walking round the supermarket the other day, perusing the empty shelves, when I was struck by the irony of the song that was playing over the sound system. It was Joni Mitchell’s “Big Yellow Taxi” and specifically the line:
“Don’t it always seem to go / You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone”
Within one or two very short (or very long!) weeks, the world has changed beyond recognition. And things that we took for granted until recently, have now suddenly grown in importance and significance at some level. Here’s a random list, not in any particular order of importance:
A handshake. Toilet paper. Human contact. Gathering together as a church to worship. Social gatherings. Going to watch a film. Eating together with friends. Hugging. Brothers and sisters in Christ. Your job.
And on the list goes on.
Things that we took for granted just a couple of weeks ago are now extremely rare or impossible. And more and more restrictions seem to be coming our way in the face of Covid-19.
“Don’t it always seem to go / You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone”
I don’t know about you, but I’m missing meeting for Church services in the building! I know Church isn’t a building, it’s the people, but there’s something about gathering together in corporate worship that’s powerful!
I am so grateful for the body of Christ, for our church family, for brothers and sisters whom I sometimes take for granted.
Psalm 122 says “I rejoiced with those who said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.”
I am looking forward to the day when I can plant a big kiss on someone’s cheek and give a big bear hug and shake your hand at the door and watch someone snooze off during my sermon, and see someone shifting in their seat and looking at their watch etc.
I am looking forward to it!
And that day is coming my friends. So keep your heads up and your gaze fixed on Jesus, and the day will come soon enough when we rejoice with those who say to us: “Let us go to the house of the Lord”!