The Empty Church Speaks

As I walked along the cracked, cobblestone sidewalk which led from the street through the uncut grass down to the front doors of the church it seem to say, "Follow me, follow me, follow me to the House of God!”

As I slowly walked in the shadow of the white-washed steeple which still faithfully pointed to heaven it seem to cry, “There is a God, there is a God, there is a God!”

As I climbed those old wooden steps up to the front porch, I could almost hear the sound of the church bell as it rang out that it was “Time to meet with God, time to meet with God, time to meet with God!”

There before me stood two rustic front doors opened wide reminding “All are welcome, all are welcome, all are welcome into the House of God!”

As I stepped through the doors onto the red carpet that flowed down the isle and over an old fashioned altar, it seemed to plead “Without the blood, without the blood, without the blood there is no forgiveness of sin!”

As I slowly walked by each empty pew, I could almost hear those  saints of old as they shouted “Alleluia, Salvation, and Glory! Alleluia, Salvation, and Honor! Alleluia, Salvation, and Power unto the Lord our God!”

As I stood before an old wooden communion table, it seem to say “This do, this do, this do in remembrance of Me!”

Two dust covered offering plates laid on each side of the communion table and they seem to sing in unison: “God loves a cheerful giver, God loves a cheerful giver, God loves a cheerful giver!”

In the midst of the offering pates was an old open Bible whose yellowed worn pages were turned to Matthew 11:28-30 where I read:

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

There in the center of the altar stood an old, wooden pulpit where many sermons were preached for the glory of God. As I laid my hands on each side of the sacred desk, I could almost hear it proclaim “Except you be born again, except you be born again, except you be born again you cannot see the Kingdom of
God!”

With a tear-stained face, I ran down from the altar, down the front porch steps, and past the ‘For Sale’ sign as I could almost hear the whole church in one accord pleading: “Go out into the highway and the hedges, go out and compel them to come in, go out into the highway and the hedges, that my house may be filled
once again!”