Happy Election Day! Be sure to get out and vote on this great day! I had only one politician stop by last night, but perhaps politician is too strong for someone running for the local school board. I think we usually refer to them as candidates and not politicians. In either case, he was too late, I voted last week via the early ballot method. What a privilege it is to vote. Don't miss out on the opportunity!
This morning, Jesus responds to the woman's question about the location of worship. Okay, our Lord responded many years ago, but we get to read the verse today. Voting may be an important privilege, but much greater is the opportunity we have to read the word of God!
Jesus replied, "Believe me, dear woman, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem." John 4:21
The time is coming... Jesus gave us quite a few messages about times that are coming. We have much to look forward to in Christ! Imagine how difficult it would be for us to make a weekly or even an annual trip to Jerusalem to worship God. How about two hundred years ago when sailing ships and horses were the main modes of transport? We have the joy of gathering in large or small groups; in houses, churches, chapels, or cathedrals; but for the most part we gather only a short distance from our homes. The importance may be found in the worship and not so much in the location.
In my research for writing, I found that the American pioneers were often good about attending church services, and often not so good about attending services. Much depended upon who was around at the time. Women, especially wives, tended to reinforce church attendance. Traveling or circuit preachers would hold services in a farmhouse. And the towns and villages had preachers and each other to help remind them of church services. Of course the Old West as we like to call that period of our history also had a lot of opportunity for getting away from any and all religious activities. Our little town of Sidney went through a period when taverns were common, but churches were far away. Not everything went so well for the residents during that time.
In saying that the two locations would not matter so much, I think Jesus reminds us that there is no excuse for not stopping to worship God wherever you may be. An antelope blind in the remote areas of Wyoming is not too far from God to worship. A trip to the wilder parts of Alaska, the Yukon territory, or southern Tasmania would still leave a person not far from God. (I should peek at a map here, Tasmania's largest city might be in the south!) A cold, cold base on Antarctica is still close to God, and a base on Mars would still be close to our Lord. We don't have to worry about traveling so far that we leave God behind. "Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand." Philippians 4:5
We know that worship takes place in the heart and in our actions; the physical location is not so important as it was under the Law of Moses. Jesus has set us free!
Praise God for the new day!
Bucky
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