To give the devil his due, Doolittle in My Fair Lady was at least concerned about getting to the church on time. Agreed, it was his wedding and all that, but even in the middle of “kicking up a rumpus” the previous night, one notes that he was cautious about not “losing the compass”.
Forget the wedding business, Alfred P. Doolittle knew the time church service started.
Don’t we all?
Generally speaking, Methodist preachers shift gears and wax eloquent only after an initial warming up period of 10 minutes or so. By which time of course the C.S.I. types are obliged to truncate their sermons midway if necessary, and climb down from the pulpit….. or else!
There is something to be said for being a Methodist. You can go late to church and still not miss much of the sermon. If you do that in C.S.I churches, you will be in time only to participate in the banana auction after the three-fold Amen. Therefore, many an experienced Methodist church attendee enters the sanctuary only in time for the Pastor to say “secondly” for the third time during his sermon. Knowing there will be a fourth time as well, they saunter in casually – Bible, nay mobile in hand – and look around for comfortable seats to cocoon themselves. These are usually found behind pillars, right under fans and so on, where one can quietly transact business such as gather the day’s news, check WA messages etc., while the preacher drones on about the five foolish virgins caught on the wrong foot when the bridegroom suddenly arrives.
He goes on about unpreparedness and not being ready with oil in our lamps, to join the wedding procession, but not much of it is getting through; when the mobiles are put away after a while, most minds start ruminating pleasurably on previous night’s movies.
Looking at it from their PoV, the important matter is that we made it to church on Sunday morning. In His attendance book somewhere, God would mark us present, we hope. And take into account the fact that we have overcome the desire of earning an extra buck by going to work, complete the shopping left unfinished on Saturday and sundry other temptations. Well done, we say and pat ourselves on the back. After all, the Pastor will eventually note that we dropped a cheque that day in the Offertory. We can shake his hand as we exit, making doubly sure that our presence in the church that day did not go unnoticed.
One Methodist Pastor I knew used to mention that preparation for Sunday morning service should begin the previous night – by quietening ourselves and meditating on the Word of God. That’s the prescription for a refreshing sleep, for us to be all set the next morning. But I guess such sound advice usually falls on deaf ears.
David was different. In Psalm 122:1 he writes:
I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go into the house of the LORD.”
Also, he was very clear about the reason one goes to church. While it may be an eminently suitable place to observe the visible charms – enhanced by some Jasmine on the hair – and mannerisms of prospective brides without too much bother (like though a one-sided glass), David kept the two activities apart. He says in Psalms 63:2:
So, I have looked for You in the sanctuary, to see Your power and Your glory.
You, habitual late comer to church: When you arrive at the church late for the Service as usual, what will you do if you find the doors
SHUT?
May be there is a lesson to learn from the following song: