What Feeds You?

Our worship service with the church this morning seemed like a smorgasbord--lots of variety in the spiritual food offered. And it got me thinking--again--about the question, "What feeds you spiritually?" Which aspect of the typical worship service or gathering of Christians is the part that you can't live without? Or is something outside of the communal time the mainstay of your walk with God?

For Josiah, it's easy to figure out what his favorite part of a Sunday morning worship service is: Sunday school. He has loved being part of the group of kids that meets all together for the first part of the Sunday school hour, then breaks off into different age groups. He loves the songs, stories, activities, etc. He just absolutely loves it. In fact, a week or so ago, he said, "I wish that Sunday school lasted the whole time!" He's learning to sit quietly and entertain himself patiently with calm activities during the regular service (although twice a month, he gets to go to children's church which is held during the sermon part of the service), but his heart is definitely the most excited about Sunday school.

For me, it's the music. I like to surround myself with music, whether it be music I listen to or music I make (or my children make!). But there's something uniquely powerful about gathering with a group of people who are all worshipping God in song. Whether it be a hymn written 500 years ago or a contemporary song written this year (and our church sings both), I find my soul filled in a special way on Sunday morning when the music begins.

For Jeff, I think he would agree with Josiah and say the Sunday school hour, because Jeff thrives in a small-group environment where rich discussions can be held. We're fortunate enough to have a retired college professor as our regular Sunday school teacher (when he doesn't pawn off his class on Jeff!), and his profundity is perhaps matched only by his wit. I remember my first time in his class...I could not figure him out. His dry humor took me completely by surprise and still catches all of us off guard sometimes. But the other very unique and special part of this class is the humility that the members show towards each other. Besides our teacher, there is another college religion professor in the class...and there is Jeff, who has some strongly-held opinions of his own!...as well as others who have studied a lot and formed deep convictions about any topic under the sun. It is obvious that not everyone agrees with everyone else, to say the least. But the humility and grace and respect that is shown by each one and to each one is amazing and refreshing.

This morning during the service, I was reminded again of the wide variety of people who make up our congregation--and that's just one congregation out of the multitude that exist around the world! How wonderful that God can speak to all of us, using different means and at different times, but in intimate, personal ways of dealing with our individual hearts and situations. What a creative God!