The Desired Contagion

If we are honest, we would admit that we get distracted from time to time.
Sometimes, distractions are a good thing.
They are little detours that break up the monotony that occasionally plagues us all.
Sometimes, distractions are not a good thing like when we are driving or operating machinery.

Distractions in church is another thing altogether.
Our mind wanders.
It doesn’t matter how wonderful the sermon is, our minds tend to go off somewhere.
Our mind goes to our lists, or the problem that demands our attention.

It is frustrating, especially in church; nothing should demand our attention more than God.
God should get all of us.
No matter how hard we try to stay focused, our eyes wander and our mind wanders.
Even when we pray to stay focused, the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. (Matthew 26:41)

I was singing during worship at church.
The words of the songs washed over me as I contemplated their meaning.
Many songs touched my heart as I marveled at the awesome God I serve.
It was then I saw them.

Right across the aisle, a father and daughter stood.
The father was singing with such abandon.
The little girl looked up at her daddy quite often as he worshiped.
She worshiped as well.

The songs were projected, so the words were in front on both sides of the sanctuary.
I could not determine the age of the little girl.
She looked up at the words and seemed to be reading them.
She sang every one.

There were songs that she sang from memory.
She glanced up at her daddy.
He looked down at her.
He lovingly put his arm around her shoulder.

Since her daddy was very tall, she could only put her arms around the top of his legs.
She sang with such joy on her face, cuddling closer to her daddy.
Her daddy sang with the same joy.
My heart was full watching them.

Their joy was contagious.
I wondered if they have a family worship time in their home.
I wondered if worship music is played often in the car as they drive along.
The little girl knew all the songs.

I wanted so much to tell the little girl how much the joy in her worship meant to me.
I wanted to tell her that the joy I saw in her, overflowed across the aisle to me.
I wanted to tell her daddy what a fine job he and his wife are doing.
Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. (Proverbs 22:6)

After worship, there was a time of prayer.
All heads were bowed.
All eyes were closed.
When the prayer was over and I looked up, the father and daughter were gone.

Soon after worship, the younger children leave to sanctuary to go to Sunday school.
Perhaps her daddy was teaching or helping that morning.
I was so disappointed.
I did not even know their name.

I thought about that father and daughter all afternoon.
I thought about the time of worship.
I thought about how the overflow of the little girl’s joy seem to jump across the aisle.
I want my joy to be contagious.

I want my joy to jump across the aisle.
I want my joy to touch others.
I want my joy to exude to my neighbors.
I want my joy to be evident to my family.

There are days we just do not feel joyful.
News, current events, and the brokenness all around us, can make us very weary.
That is all the more reason for joy.
That is all the more reason to change our focus on what we know rather than what we feel.

We need to preach the Gospel to ourselves every day.
We need to remember that the Story, unfolded in God’s Word, is true.
We need to rehearse the promises of God that we have tucked in our heart.
We need to trust in God’s Sovereignty.

I thought of my favorite verse.
The joy of the Lord is my strength. (Nehemiah 8:10)
They are not just words.
God’s joy is mine.

Knowing that truth and believing that truth, should make our faces radiant.
There should be an unmistakable joy in us that cannot be shaken.
Happiness is the result of what happens to you.
Joy, on the other hand, goes down deep.

Joy that seems to come from your toes, I have often said.
Unmistakable, undeniable joy.
The little girl had that kind of joy.
Her joy could not be contained.

I hope I will see that father and daughter another Sunday morning.
I really want that sweet little girl to know how much she blessed my heart.
Her joy was contagious.
How grateful I am that I was close enough to catch the joy-filled overflow across the aisle.