I can hear the radiant songs of thousands echoing in my soul. My thoughts are filled with God’s precious messages that I am going over and over again in my head. I can see the faces of faith showering into my mind and I can feel the warm embraces of countless souls running throughout my being. Such a joy I feel as I reminisce sitting at the feet of beautiful and powerful proclaimers of truth, rubbing elbows with the mighty men of the brotherhood and humbling myself before the righteous leaders of the church. This seems like Paradise. Yet, what I am describing is not heaven, but dare I say, it is a piece of heaven.
If you will, imagine, having your vision filled with several elders sitting around you as you discuss with them the inner workings of leadership and the church. Imagine, being around the cream of the crop and speaking to preachers about the day-to-day problems and giggles in the life of the preacher. Imagine, people coming to you from all over the world and thanking you for being such an encouragement as they encourage you in your struggles. Dream for a while, if you will, that people come together, discuss issues in a brotherly and scholarly manner, without condemning and then walking away still as the body of Christ. Dream more of the laughter of them all, the happiness of gathering for meals, the giving of self and others, the roaring sounds of praise to our God and the rumbling sounds of fellowship echoing down every corridor of life. If you can say that you have experienced this, I would say that you know what a piece of heaven is like.
Polishing the Pulpit is just this way. It is a place that one dreams about throughout the year and a place where one can exhausts themselves in fellowship and love during the week. It truly is a piece of heaven realizing that the Bible tells us that we have a citizenship in heaven (Phil. 3:17-21) and that it seems that whatever we have done for this one week, it was all done to the glory of God (Col. 3:17). And while I think back on such a glorious event, I saw people dressed as a citizen of heaven, speaking as a citizen of heaven and engaging in the pleasures that please God.
You know, we live in such a wicked world, which is focused on itself. It is indeed a blessing to be reminded that a Christian’s life is to be as a city on a hill, a light in a world of darkness (Matt. 5:14-15) and that the believer’s life is to focus on the glory of God and on His Son, King Jesus. For, we are to be lowly and humble before our Maker. My family and I have truly been blessed to be a part of this encouragement and I hope that all of us will consider attending Polishing the Pulpit and be impacted and encouraged to look up more at our Savior. What a blessing it is to be a part of the body. To be a part of the Church of Christ.