30 Days of Thankfulness - #20 - Freedom to Worship

Just last week, Matt and I were sitting in a rather crowded Sunday service at our home church. As more people poured in, each row of people started to move closer and closer together, making room for more. As the church became more and more packed, I became more and more disgruntled.

"I can't even move! Could the girl next to me get any closer?"

"I am burning up. There's too many people in here to be running the heat."

"Good grief... Can't she move over an inch? She keeps elbowing me in the ribs."

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And then the Lord gave me a big ole wake up call right smack in the middle of the Sunday service.

There are people that can't even say the name of Jesus aloud, without fear of persecution... folks that have to meet underground, in the dark, in secret. There are people that worship silently or in whispers, relying solely on the song in their hearts to give praise to the Lord. There are groups of people that have been murdered for professing their faith in the One who created them. Believers that have never held a Bible in their hands or seen the written Word. 

And then there's me. I openly call myself a believer. A Christian. I wake up on Sunday mornings and drive to a big building with a sign out front declaring it a "Bible Church". I walk in with hundreds of others, take my seat, open my Bible, and hear the Word of God preached over a loud speaker. We have baptisms in open fields. We sing at the top of our lungs and raise our hands to the heavens. 

I'm feeling very grateful for our ability to worship freely, and without fear of persecution or death. 

Thankful, 
Lauren