THE POWER OF AN EXAMPLE
(Revised, from The Lehman Avenue Weekly Communicator)
Throughout the years I’ve heard countless sermons that I have forgotten, but one Sunday I SAW a sermon that remains with me to this day. It happened on a cold, snowy Sunday morning in Munich, Germany.
After getting out of bed, I looked out through an icy window at several inches of snow that had fallen during the night. I began wondering whether I should attend worship in those conditions, or stay at home and read my Bible.
Although I knew that the congregation would miss me because I was their only song leader, I would have to walk some distance to catch a bus to the building. I finally decided to venture out, but only because the small church needed a song leader.
While riding on the bus through the slick streets, I noticed two elderly people struggling through the snow, and immediately recognized them. They were Brother and Sister Trollman, a Christian couple that attended every service of the church. Brother Trollman, in his 80’s, was nearly blind. His “guide” was his 78-year-old wife, who was lame in one foot. They lived in a small two-room apartment, barely surviving on a fixed income. Being unable to afford bus fare to the building, nearly 3 miles distant, they walked to church every Lord's Day.
Here I was, headed for worship in a warm bus, but only because of my duty as song leader. And out there, trudging through the cold and snow, was an elderly, handicapped couple determined to attend the same worship due to their love for their Lord.
I was ashamed of myself and my weak love for my God. But that devoted couple, without a word, taught me more about commitment than scores of sermons.
‘I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go into the house of the Lord."’ (Psa. 122:1)
Jesus, always Jesus!
Dennis
(Revised, from The Lehman Avenue Weekly Communicator)
Throughout the years I’ve heard countless sermons that I have forgotten, but one Sunday I SAW a sermon that remains with me to this day. It happened on a cold, snowy Sunday morning in Munich, Germany.
After getting out of bed, I looked out through an icy window at several inches of snow that had fallen during the night. I began wondering whether I should attend worship in those conditions, or stay at home and read my Bible.
Although I knew that the congregation would miss me because I was their only song leader, I would have to walk some distance to catch a bus to the building. I finally decided to venture out, but only because the small church needed a song leader.
While riding on the bus through the slick streets, I noticed two elderly people struggling through the snow, and immediately recognized them. They were Brother and Sister Trollman, a Christian couple that attended every service of the church. Brother Trollman, in his 80’s, was nearly blind. His “guide” was his 78-year-old wife, who was lame in one foot. They lived in a small two-room apartment, barely surviving on a fixed income. Being unable to afford bus fare to the building, nearly 3 miles distant, they walked to church every Lord's Day.
Here I was, headed for worship in a warm bus, but only because of my duty as song leader. And out there, trudging through the cold and snow, was an elderly, handicapped couple determined to attend the same worship due to their love for their Lord.
I was ashamed of myself and my weak love for my God. But that devoted couple, without a word, taught me more about commitment than scores of sermons.
‘I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go into the house of the Lord."’ (Psa. 122:1)
Jesus, always Jesus!
Dennis
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