forgotten purpose.

A gentleman was backpacking through Europe with some friends. After many day trips and long nights at the bar the group decided on a tour of a local church, an ancient relic of yesteryear. As they walked through the beautiful old stone church they were in awe of its splendor. The tour guide would teach them the wonders of the building. The height of the steeple, the length of the pews & the hours spend on the mosaic windows. They were taught of the fine cobblestones from Italy and the Belgium oak wood used for the ceiling. The group often commented to each other at the opulence of the building and how well this ancient building has been kept.

As the tour came to an end the tour guide stopped, turned to the group and asked “do you have any questions?” The group of friends had nothing to ask as they had already every question answered. But from behind them they heard a small deep voice. Unable to hear what was said they turned around and asked the gentleman to speak again. This time he cleared his throat and said in a husky slow voice “Has anyone been saved here lately? I mean that’s why it was build wasn’t it?”...

Have we forgotten our purpose? Has time worn us down? Watered our beliefs and turned our passion. Do we merely now just stroll through our existence walking between walls of a past generation forgetting the purpose they were built. Are we taken up in the awe, strength and beauty of the walls, and forgotten about the power living between them? Have we turned our temples into marketplaces? Are we selling guided tours and boasting of great facades, when we could be holding great church services boasting of a great God?

Do not miss read my words. We have great churches with great passion and power changing the lives of many. But why are our tours of the buildings and not of the changed lives. Why do the tours not boast on the hours spent in worship? The thousands of lives that were changed, the broken that were restored and the healing that were received. Yes the building stand as a testament to that… but who is sharing the testimony?

Never do I want to memorise the height of a steeple and forget the pages of Gods word. Never do I want to remember origin of the cobblestones and forget the power of God.

I know my life will be written on the pages of history. But I choose today not to live as a tour guide showing people the amazing work of man. Rather I choose to show man the amazing work of God.

- Reuben Skewes