As I walked outside, I looked across the street at the empty parking lot where my church usually gathers. There is no sound coming from inside the church building. No guitars being tuned, no laughter, no warm handshakes or hugs. It doesn't look like a Sunday morning, yet it is Sunday morning.
Then I heard chirps from the birds in the trees above me. There is a rustling of leaves in the woods by the running squirrels. The wind is gusting, the sun is shining.
Does nature not care that a virus has stricken the land? Do these animals not know that the church will not be gathered together to pray, sing and hear God's Word? They are acting as though this is a normal day, that all is right.
Romans 1:20 says, "For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen...."
Even in the silence of a church building God's attributes, His eternal power, and His divine nature shines through by His wondrous creation. Nothing stops the worship of God.
In Luke 19, the Pharisees tried to get Jesus to quiet His disciples. A large crowd had begun following Jesus as he rode His triumphal entry on a donkey. The people were spreading their coats on the road and singing loudly for all that Jesus had done. They were shouting, "Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord; Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!"
The Pharisees didn't like the scene that was taking place. Telling Jesus, "Teacher, rebuke Your disciples."
Jesus answered them, "I tell you, if these become silent, the stones will cry out!"
This is good news Christian, if we have ears to listen. Nothing can stop the worship of God. Nothing can stop God from being seen. His invisible attributes shine through even in the midst of empty parking lots. Rocks sing praises in the midst of empty pews.
Angels are still circling His throne singing, "Holy, Holy, Holy."
I look forward to the Sunday when I will see cars pulling into the parking lot again. When I see my church gathered to sing, pray, and hear God's Word. For now we must sing praises where we are, pray where we are, read God's Word where we are.
Until we meet again, let us have ears to hear and eyes to see that nothing stops the worship of God.
