Monday, December 8, 2008

One little sight caused so much thought

Sitting in church yesterday evening, I glanced at the rows ahead of me and saw six young men in my immediate view. Two of them were my brothers. Four were other young men from church.

Even though I was only looking at the back of their heads, I saw something in the way they all sat. The way they held their shoulders. The way the lowered their heads in prayer.

I especially noticed my youngest brother and one of his friends, sitting side by side directly in front of me. They were dressed similarly, and when they are sitting they look the same height. My brother is light complected, with green eyes and light brown hair. His friend has darker hair, and darker eyes...if I remember correctly. But they looked alike at that moment.

I looked at those boys sitting in front of me and saw men. I saw the men of tomorrow. Are not the next ten years tomorrow, as surely as the past ten years are yesterday?

And I wondered why, with the world in such a jumble, I felt secure.

It wasn't the boys in front of me. What are they, amongst all the thousands of youths populating this planet?

It was what those boys were doing.

They were bowing.

You see, the congregation wasn't asking a blessing on the offering, or something like that. It wasn't just a traditional prayer - I would expect them to bow their heads for that. We were about to have the Lord's supper, and those boys were bowing their heads to search their hearts. They were so sober, so intent. They somehow knew this was what one must do before taking part in the Lord's supper. They've seen their fathers bow and examine their own hearts on just such an occasion.

It seemed a little thing, but I wanted to weep as I watched them bow. Thousands of youth on this planet have not discovered that only in weakness is strength, only in yielding is victory, and only in bowing is lifting.

I pray God is doing a work in my brothers' - in all youths' - hearts. If He is doing a work in the hearts of more youths, there is hope for the future. Of course there is hope. Where God is, there is hope, and He is everywhere.

Perhaps that is why I felt secure.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow! Isn't wonderful to see God working in individuals, even though the world is in such turmoil?! I am so blessed to know that He's still on the throne, still working in hearts, still leading His children on to the work He's called them to do!!!

Kristen Michelle said...

Thanks for the post. This, for some reason, really encouraged me. =) To think that there is always hope in God. You know, there are some things that in my heart, I do know, but I often time forget them. It's so wonderful to have friends like you to remind me! Love you so much. =)