Church My Dearest House

Steven Hmangte *

A Church at Rhah Khul in Ukhrul district :: Pix - Ibomcha Yumnam

Time For Reflections

Not arguing, we do have different wanting and dearest places in these World, different enjoyments and different merry making, different life style andliving standard of living. I do not say that hat you are thinking is neither right nor wrong. I'm only trying to bring up the different choices that each individual person has. I'm here only trying to convey my thought and choice of my Dearest Place. I do have come across lots of people, some from rich while some from the poor, some from the Foreign while some from our own native. When interacting with them I come up with a definite conclusion that they have a desiring Heart yet I do not say that they Wrong neither I do not say that I'm right during and after the course of interaction but I'm only trying to let you know of my desire and dearest place in this self-contented and brutal World. I'm here only trying to convey my thought and choice of my Dearest Place. I just want you to think of yours as you keep on reading and hearing…

Recently, I read about some sort of book that seems to be my types. I will like to introduce a-bit of it, in short. You remember, Alexander, don't you?? Well, maybe not. I have introduced him to My Students in the Boarding and to some of my friends. I'm glad that the writer is his Mother, and then she wrote "If I were in charge of the World and other worries". Let's looks to the few lines that she wrote:
If I were in charge of the world
I'd cancel all oatmeal
Monday morning
Allergy shots
If I were in charge of the world
There'd be brighter night light
Healthier hamster, and
Basket-ball basket forty-eight inches lower
If I were in charge of the world
You wouldn't have lonely
You wouldn't have clean
You wouldn't have bedtime
Or don't punches your sister
You wouldn't even have sister
If I were in charge of the world
A chocolate sundae with whipped creams and nuts would be a vegetable
All 007 movies would be G
And a person who sometime forget to brush
And sometime who forget to flush
Would still be allow to be in charge of the World

Like I said it before, he's a kind of guy. Actually, I've been thinking about the lines for a long time "If I Were In-Charge of the World…." If that ever comes true, what would I do??? If God allows me to be in charge for just Twenty-four Hours I'd do one thing… I'd change the People opinions about the Church. I would removes all the Prejudices about the Church, I will erase all Church scars and heal all Church splits, all Churches bruises and all hurts that come from the Church gossip. I would remove all those horrible offenses. And in place of that I would have everyone see the Good value of the Church. If only I had was Twenty-four Hours, that, what I would do if I were in charge of the world. But since I'm not I would ask you to do the next best thing. I will ask you to take charge of your thought. For a few minutes let's remember some of the events that we have in the Church.

Days of Childhood

Let's go back to our Childhood. Let's go all the way back when we first heard the Hymns and we first listen to the Sermons and we first formed our in passion about the Church. Some of us have very pleasant memories. A few, unfortunately, are not so pleasant. As for me Church and Sunday School was never on my mind, even if Dad and Mom asked me to attaint to the Church, you know I would somehow go out of fear till to my gates. When after crossing the gates the old nature walk in-front of me and directed my path in the opposite direction. I was the number 1 who would never go to the Church or Sunday school, I feel like it was so useless to attaint. When I look back into my life I regretted it a lot's because I spent my time so much so aimlessly without putting God in my for most part of my life, without being depend on God and without attaining the Church and Sunday School service. I never thought, never once, that I will be writing An Articles like these. I was so ignorance during my Childhood day.

For some of us it's an Urban Church located mi a busy City. And there are cars buzzing by outside and horns blowing, building and wide hallway and stained glass window. Maybe when you were a little child, you were in big, Gothic style Church. Other was raise in a sub-urban Church- the distance City just visible on the skyline perhaps your home was within a distance. For many of us, it was in a Country Church with a steeple, located in a rural part of the state where we live like the One William Pitts wrote of years ago.
There's a Church in the valley of the wildwood
No lovelier place in the dale
No spot is so dear to my Childhood
As the little brown Church in the vale
Oh, come, to the Church in the wildwood
Oh, come, to the Church in the dale
No spot is so dear to my Childhood
As the little brown Church in the vale

That was my Church: little Country town, little country Church But what a place! To this day I cherish healthy memories about that house of worship. Think about yours "First Church" You were just a little girl… you were just a little guy. It was probably there where you first received formal instruction and learned to respect the authority of scripture. You learn to sit still longer than you ever wanted to and to pay attention to something you fully don't understand. You remember those early days when you listen to the Hymns, when you performed your first religious impressions. It was there you discovered that there was a Man of God who opened God's Book and believed it with all your Heart. You probably sang your first solo there; saw your first wedding…and funeral…and Baptism. Join your first Choir. It was there you discovered that you had leadership skills. It was there you learn the when God speaks it's the best to listen…and not only listen, but also to obey.

Days of Crisis

Like the saying say's "Every day is not a Sunday". Our Childhood days will not remain forever, the joy and merry making will not lasted forever. There are times and there will be a time when we come into contacts with different crisis and trials. Think about that. You may have lost your mom or your dad…a brother or a sister. And as helpful as the hospital staff or the physician tried to be, no one could minister to you like the people of the Church. No one put their arms around you and said "I Understand" like they did.

When your mate or lover said, "It's over… I'm Leaving" and then walked out, who helped you cope? In all the embarrassment, the rejection, the anger, and the disillusionment, you probably didn't receive comfort from someone at the local bar or your bridges club. Chances are good that there was some body from your Church who said, "I've got a scar like that. And when you are hurting I want you to know that I hurt with you. Even though you fell push away or out of the society and shoved aside like a second class bum, I understand your pain. And I stand in defense of you. In fact I Love You.

Remember when grift struck you a t the deepest level? Remember when your love has put in a casket. Maybe the banker could tell you where you could fine a loan to get through that hard time. Or maybe the insurance man helped you by bringing the check. Perhaps an attorney gave you a sound advice. But who was there when the flower wither and wilted. Chances are good, the person who spoke well of your departed love one was he pastor of the church. The people who surrounded you and gave you hope to go on were the Church people. They understood your World; they brought light to your darkness. That's the way God designed the Church.

Remember disillusionment as a youth? Just spend moment and think about that. I've never met anyone or anybody who wanted to be a teenager again, even I myself I just don't want to be in that ages again crisis after crisis, heartbroken after heartbrokenness, I just don't wanted to be in that place again. Remember the youth pastor who believed in you when you didn't even believe in yourself? Remember the Sunday school teacher who said she or he loves you regardless?

Remember not knowing exactly what you should do in your career and some pastor spoke directly from the scripture, cutting a clear path of purpose through the dense fog of confusion? Remember the tape of some sermons that you play over and over and over again? What if there had never a Church? What if there had never been a record of some pastor who minister to you? Occasionally, I do have a dozen of books and sermons that which guided me in every move that I made. Remember, it wasn't from some law office or from some doctor's waiting room or even from some funeral home that your help came. Quite likely, your help to go on came from the CHURCH.

Times of Celebration

Let's not forget that there is a sun shine after every rain, a day time after the night, while we're traveling memory's lane, let's not miss the flowers! I know for sure my friends are going to tease me, about the things, what I'm going to write in the next second okay here I go… Where did you find your mate? More than likely you (like I) found her or him in a Church. Where were you married? If you weren't married in a Church, you probably wish you could have been. Who gave you the best counsel? Probably pastor. Who was there to dedicate your first born Child? Who ministered to you when you really got scared about how to rear your family? Who said, "We affirm the family". We stand with you all the way through it.

How about when you made decisions to serve the Lord Jesus in your future career? How about when you celebrate your graduation out of your school, and maybe even out of seminary? I still remember our pastor prayed for me when I was about to join the Choir Singing Ministry, it's still fresh and feels like as if he had prayed it last night. Who was there to say, "We're with you, we applaud your achievement and if God leads you overseas, we wouldn't forget you". Perhaps the Church held you closer than your family.

I just don't know how about your life but in-fact it is in the Church; in general, we learn to be faithfulness, week after week. It is in the Church that we learn to give and to tithe. It was the first place, like everybody does; I gave out of my allowance. I was so stingy to give at first but my mom and dad convince me, "Son, this is where part of your money goes". Is it in the Church where we first learn our generosity? I didn't give it to friends. I didn't give it to a family member. Or school. But I give it for the work of God, for the extinction of His Kingdom and His Gloriousness. It is in the Church that discipleship is carried out. It is the Church that Accountability is molded. It is in the Church that marriage is upheld and singleness is dignified without your being hustling. It is in the Church of Jesus Christ that we find the roots that establish us in our faith. When an Evangelistic camp comes up, the Church does that. When the projects are over, when the crusade team member have gone, the church stayed, in spite of her own weaknesses and human flaws, it is one of the most significance rallying point for Christians on this Earth today. It will continue so to be until Jesus Christ returned.

I hope and have affirmed believe in you that you will also have your own desiring Heart and wanting, like I said in the beginning. I hope that the words "Church" will be the word that guided you in your future day, when you are in trouble. Like the Church which stood alone and erected, when the entire crusade team member, Church member had gone. Even if all our friends had left us, even if you're boyfriend, girlfriend or any other be-loved onehas gone I believe that you would stand still like the Church which is laid in a firm foundation rock. I belief that God is speaking to us today, to changes our attitudes, thought, desiring and also to our life. I belief in you that you will have a closer relationship with the Church as you keep on moving you're new life with a success in every steps that you take.

May God helps us to bear the fruit that other may see Jesus in us.