Steeple People

Here's the church; here's the steeple
Open the doors and here's all the people.

O, the aging memory of staring at my own young hands while reciting this limerick. You know, there were only ever four members in that congregation, but you have to admit that the church house was always full.

Psalm 122:1 I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the
LORD.

Are you excited to go to church? Are you happy to go to church? Do you wake up Sunday morning with a smile on your heart? Can you not wait to get off work Wednesday to head to the house of the LORD? David said, "I was glad..." That means whatever David was doing in his everyday life, when someone said, "It's time to go to church!", it was better than whatever was going on. He said, "I was glad."

Are you like David? Did you answer these questions with a 'yes'? Then you are one of the steeple people. We are steeple people. One of God's own. We should be glad to go to God's house, ecstatic even! When you realize what all He's done for you. The blood He shed at Calvary, the spirit of adoption...

Romans 8:14-15 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of
God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have
received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

We are born into the family of God. We cry Abba. We cry Daddy. We cry Poppa. We have an intimate relationship with God Almighty made possible through the precious blood of the Lamb where we can call to Him. Daddy. Hey, I'm glad when they say it's time to go to my Father's house. Not some strangers house, but my Father's house.

Steeples are pretty. However, steeples serve practical purposes as well as aesthetic ones. In times past, the church house was the main building of the town. The town people would not only worship there, but hold meetings, socials, and schools. The steeple, reaching high into the sky, could be seen from afar off. Each citizen or traveller could locate the church by viewing the steeple. Maybe they couldn't see the actual building, but they could see the steeple.

Along with the ability to be seen from afar, they could also be heard from afar. Large bells were installed in the steeples. The bells would alert everyone within hearing distance that church was about to begin. Long ago, before automobiles, airplanes, stereos, or heavy machinery, the loudest noise that would be heard in town were the ringing of the church bells. Imagine that. There were people who actually lived that the loudest thing they ever heard was the sounding of church bells. The loudest thing they ever heard came from church.

Have you ever looked at the steeple? Stand near your steeple and study. The pointed architecture stretching upward. Skyward. Heavenward. God-ward. It brings your attention toward God. It lifts your eyes to the LORD.

And with these three points, we a steeple people could learn a lesson from this piece of architectural design. We could direct people to the LORD. We could let people hear about the LORD. We could direct people's eye to the LORD. Whenever they looked out across the wilderness, they could see us, like the steeple, and they would know that is where they could get help to get in touch with the LORD. O LORD, I pray, that we might be used by you to direct people's eyes upward, skyward, heavenward, God-ward.

These are practical purpose, but steeples are also beautiful. Some are plain, just pointing towards God. Some have a cross on the top. Some have bells. Some are stone. Some are wood. Some are brass. Some are short and wide. Some are tall and narrow. Take a look at the churches in your neighborhood. They are all very beautiful. I tell you this, there's nothing more beautiful than an old sinner saved by grace. There's nothing more precious than a born again believer.

The next time you enter into the LORD's house, remember that you are in your Father's house. And start realizing you are one of the steeple people.