I could not afford to buy a house in this fantastic neighborhood, of course, and so I rent. I really don't mind renting, especially when something breaks and I just call the landlord. Awesome.
Lately, I've been thinking the temporariness of life. Maybe it's this time of year and the changing of the seasons. Even things we think we "own" we will not have forever because nothing is forever.
Recently I heard someone say churches are like airports: places where we pass through in order to get somewhere else. What a lovely image! I love the idea that the church is not a destination in itself but is a place of transition.
It's like renting. I know I will not live in my apartment forever. And I know that I will not be in worship all week long.
This outlook helps me not to hold on to the specific forms of worship too tightly because I know I am just passing through. I know that worship is my airport where I come in order to get to my destination of being with God. It doesn't matter how I get there, just that I get there.
Some planes are small, others are very full. Some have good food or many attendants. Sure, I have preferences that make my ride smoother. But the point is that it's not about the airport, but about the destination.
Where are you passing through this season? What is it about church that helps you get closer to God?