One of the greatest regrets I have in my life was something I failed to do one Sunday morning. At the time we had 5 children at home ranging from kindergarten to high school. Our Sunday’s were always hectic and we were often if not always late for Sunday school. In fact the church we were attending at that moment in our lives was chosen in part because one other Sunday we were running late for services at another church and stopped just so we could be nearly on time. That church was chosen more for proximity of location rather than its closeness of theology.
This particular Sunday started out like all the others rousting out teenage bears that sleep late, calming down the younger monkeys, getting them fed, insuring they have appropriate clothes, matching socks, and have at least brushed their teeth. Wife is dressed nicely, make-up and hair just right. I grab one last gulp of coffee and several bibles and hurry everyone to the car. Clock in the car glares 9:35 we have a 10 minute trip ahead of us and Sunday school starts at, yep, 9:30.
I hate being late, in no other part of my life am I late. My dad taught me well “you leave early enough that if you have a flat you can still arrive on time” So I was in my usual grumpy Sunday morning running late funk. It was almost a straight 10 mile shot to the church on a lonely paved country road, no reason not to make up a little time by driving fast. One mile or less before the church, near the curve into town was a vehicle on the side of the road, flat tire. I whizz by…….. in the rearview mirror I clearly see a family in Sunday clothes standing by their car.
Most of the time I am overjoyed when a visitor attends church, one particular Sunday, at a small country church, at the end of a hectic Sunday morning routine, I was embarrassed when a family with a car sporting a spare chose my church to visit. There are three or four events in my life I would like a “do over” this is one of them. I think most of my regrets are those kinds of things, things I should have done that were put aside for what I thought was important or worse put aside without thinking. A graduation I should have been at, a wedding I should have celebrated. Acts of kindness I could have shown but didn’t. Phone calls I should have made, visits that didn’t happen.
Will my children know Christ because I made it to Sunday school or because of how I care for them and others? Will my grand children know the presence of God in their lives because I pray for them at church or because of God’s love I can show them when they are in my presence? Will the neighbor dealing with cancer know the comfort of Christ because of my regular Sunday trek or by the unexpected mowing I should do for her. How about my nieces and nephews and their families, how do I touch their lives?
Be in church or being church, what will I regret most by failing to do? My prayer going forward is that I leap at opportunities to do good. Should have helped the kids more often, should have taught the grand kids more, should have spent more time with mom and dad, and yes, I should have helped change a tire. I don’t want any more “should haves” in my life.
DeAnn pointed out to me the other day that when the early church gathered, they gathered on Sunday; to them it was the first day of the week, a work day, not a day of rest. This next Sunday I am going to put on work clothes then see where God leads, I know somewhere this Sunday there is a tire to change. If not I’ll be in church. I knew I was more comfortable when I wore jeans to church.
David
