As Blake parked his car in the lot beside the church, he looked for Andy's car. As he did so, he thought about how surprised and pleased he had been when he received a call from Andy during his drive home from the retreat last night. Andy had said, “I've been thinking about my spiritual condition and I'm just not sure that my church is really providing the tools to help me get to the next level. I was thinking about joining you at your church tomorrow.”
Although the church experience at Calvary Gospel had been a little disconcerting to Blake on his first visit, he had come to appreciate how the true faith of this little church and how it was focused on being faithful to Jesus. The church he used to attend, and Andy still attended, did a lot of playing to the crowd in comparison. This little church didn't shy away from issues that made people uncomfortable, but approached each with faith that the Lord would use His word, faithfully taught, to accomplish His will. More important than all those things, this was a praying church, they truly believed that prayer was essential and powerful.
Blake pulled open the door to the church, scanning over the little clusters of people standing talking in the lobby area. He spotted Mark and Beth chatting with an unfamiliar looking woman. Mark was always good at spotting visitors and making them feel at home. Blake began to wander that direction, saying “Good Morning” to a few people along his path. Then he heard somebody call his name, he turned and saw Pastor David heading in his direction.
David said, “Good morning, Blake. How are you doing this morning?”
Blake thought this was a bit odd. Although Blake liked his Pastor well enough, he had only had a few conversations with him in the years he had been attending this church. He said, “I am doing fine, David. I'm just coming off the high of the prayer retreat. How are you doing?”
“I saw your name on the list of the people attending the retreat and started asking around. From what I hear, the Lord has been doing some major work in your life, building up your faith.”
Blake wasn't sure what to say. Smiling he said, “I guess he found some cracks in my basic stubbornness. Seriously though, He has been working on me. He has opened my eyes to a lot of things that I had no clue about.”
“Usually when somebody in the church is going through a period of growth, I am more aware of it. I feel bad that I wasn't there to help you along the way, somehow it just slipped right past me.”
Blake wasn't sure exactly what this was all about. He said, “This was a case when the Lord provided exactly what was needed and had it well under control.”
At this point, Andy walked up saying, “Morning, Blake.”
Blake said, “Hi, Andy. Glad you could make it. Andy, this is our Pastor, David Groves.” To David he said, “David, this is Andy Renfro, a friend and co-worker of mine.”
David shook his hand and said, “Hi Andy, good to meet you. I don't think I've seen you around before, is this your first visit to Calvary Gospel?”
Andy replied, “The last time I was here was when Blake and Elaine were married and I don't think that counts.”
David said, “Well, I'm glad you came today.” He then turned toward Blake and said, “Blake, I just wanted to say that I'm sorry that you kinda slipped under my radar and I wasn't there to help you, but if you need anything, don't hesitate to call.” Then, looking at both of them saying, “If you gentlemen will excuse me, there is a wild rumor going around that I will need to preach today.”
As David moved away from them, Andy leaned over to Blake and said, “That was a little awkward, what was that about?”
“I'm not really sure.” Blake looked up at the people moving toward the sanctuary and the wall clock, saying, “I guess we ought to head on in.”
As they went into the sanctuary and toward the left-front area where Blake usually sat, they found Mark and Beth sitting there with the woman they had been speaking to in the lobby. Blake slid into the row with Andy following him. Blake said, “Andy, you remember Mark and Beth Harman?” To Mark and Beth he said, “You guys remember my co-worker, Andy?”
Mark gave Andy a warm handshake, saying, “Sure, I remember Andy. You're the computer guy, right? I am glad to see you again.” Mark gestured to the new face and said, “This is Courtney Smithers, she is visiting for the first time.” There were handshakes and greetings all around.
The musicians began to sing, indicating services were beginning. The various conversations hurriedly ended and people moved back to their seats.
It was an excellent service. The Spirit was thick in the church. The worship was full of praise. Blake thought the people were very focused on God today and God was responding. The sermon spoke to Blake's soul.
David preached about the Lord's Prayer, specifically about, “Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”52 He said that in heaven the angels live to serve God. Whatever He wants, whatever His will is, the heavenly angels jump to it. David took the point that this should be our goal, to jump to whatever God in Heaven wants, just like the angels do. The sermon explained that this is God's kingdom, when we allow God to be king over our lives, letting him lead and direct us. David explained that when we work for somebody very powerful on their behalf, we can use some of their power to get their work done. The same concept applies when we are doing God's kingdom work on earth, His power is behind us. The early church was extremely tuned to doing the will of God, as a result, they found God's power working hand-in-hand with them, to achieve amazing results. God's kingdom grew incredibly in depth and breadth, just because a few people truly allowed God to be God in their lives.
After church, several people met at the mall food court for lunch. As Blake and Andy came to the tables that Mark had pulled together, they found Mark and Beth on one side of the tables and Courtney opposite them. Blake pulled out a chair next to Courtney and was surprised that Andy, instead of sitting next to him, was taking the seat on the other side of Courtney. Blake watched Andy smile and speak to Courtney and realized that he had an interest in more than just looking for an empty chair.
As they all got talking, Blake's ears perked up when he heard that Courtney was a teacher. He immediately wondered if having Courtney show up today was God's way of confirming that he was supposed to go into teaching. Blake learned that she was a technology teacher in a local high school. Blake was slightly disappointed by this news, because he had hoped that she might be a middle-school teacher, but Andy was thrilled to learn that she worked with computers.
Blake asked, “So, how did you wind up in teaching?”
“My sister is 2 years older than I am. When she started kindergarten, we would play school. She always got to be the teacher and I was the student. I guess I was jealous, because I decided that I wanted to be a teacher. After that, I flirted with a few different occupation ideas, like becoming an author or doing some sort of computer work, but I always came back to teaching. After I got my teaching degree, I found this position of teaching computer skills to high schoolers and I knew I had found my place. It was like God had made the position exactly for me.”
“So we keep hearing stories of how public schools try to quash anything Christian. How do your faith and your job get along?” asked Blake.
Courtney thought for a moment and said, “That's a good question. My principal is a Christian and as supportive as she can be, but we have to exist within the system. While I can't be blatant and obvious, my students aren't dumb, so they know I am a Christian. Every week or so, I have some student come to me about something not school related, sometimes asking for me to pray about their situation and sometimes asking me for advice. I think they know that I love them and they respond to that. Some of them don't get much love in their lives. There are a few that have kept in touch after their graduation; with them I can certainly be a lot more open about my faith.”
The conversation wandered away and Blake drifted into his thoughts. While this gal had such a different experience in getting into t
eaching, it sounds like she has the same basic motivation. Silently and unobtrusively he prayed, “Lord, my God, help me to know what it is that you want. I want your will above all. Please don't allow my current job situation to cloud my listening to you. I want your will.” While he would have like to have heard God speaking to him, right there in the mall, He didn't.
He looked up and saw Andy and Courtney in happy conversation. They had really hit it off. Blake thought of how they looked like they went together. Both of them were a little chubby, they wore glasses and were a bit geekish. Neither of them were the socially inept brand of geek, but they both had that air of loving their books, computers and movies (at this particular moment they were comparing notes on favorite movies). It would be nice if Andy would find a girl that would make him happy. Although Andy usually wouldn't admit it, Blake knew he was lonely.
CHAPTER 23
“Instruction from Your lips is better for me than thousands of gold and silver pieces.”
Psalm 119:72