The Power of Place

Can you think of specific rooms in your life where powerful, memorable things happened?

I can think of being in my grandmother Berry’s kitchen in Oklahoma. Growing up, all of our families assembled at my grandparent’s house for major holidays. I have incredibly fond memories of being there with dozens of my cousins, aunts and uncles, playing canasta in the breakfast area, eating chocolate chip ice cream at the bar, or smelling the pungent aroma of hand-made cornbread stuffing on Thanksgiving.

When I think of rooms, I look back fondly to the front sitting room at my in-laws. The room was, at that time, equipped with a baby grand piano to accommodate my mother-in-law’s piano teaching business. I remember on December 27th, 1997, at 11:27pm, how I lead my girlfriend into that room after everyone went to bed, sat down at the piano, sang her a song I had written about my love, and asked her to marry me. After the incredible shock set in…she said yes!

One room that I will not soon forget is a waiting room at Children’s hospital in February 2005. Early that Friday morning, my wife and I released our beautiful 2 year-old baby girl into the hands of a neurosurgical team to have brainstem surgery. As we drug ourselves back to the waiting room for what might have been an eternity, we were greeted by over hundred people off and on who had come to show their love and support for us. That room, which was otherwise a place of great pain and anxiousness was transformed into God’ place…the place where He was in our time of need.

Indeed, God has been using rooms and buildings throughout history to reveal His majesty and glory to humankind. Not the least of these places, I think we would all agree, is His houses of worship. From the vestal Temple to the wilderness tabernacle to the prayerful synagogue to the modern church, God has always been in the habit of making his presence known more vividly and tangibly in rooms where His people are gathered to worship.

The same could easily said of our fine church, as, over the past 151 years, God has done some amazing things at the various facilities Highland Oaks has resided in. And now, as we size up our aging structure and count the cost necessary to bring it to full effectiveness, we both remember what God has done as long as this building has stood, and we look forward to the continued great things He will do as we transform brick and mortar into something everlasting – a place with power!

In your personal worship this week, focus in on a memory(ies) you have of being in the Highland Oaks Church of Christ building for worship. Give God the praise and glory for the moments He’s revealed Himself more fully to you in worship. Meditate on what it would be to have an updated facility, full of the sounds of worship, able to do more and be more for those who are earnestly seeking Him.

Resounding Themes:

God’s Presence
He Is Able to Do More
Elevating Christ
The Power of Community

Getting READY to Worship

Ready, Set, READ

The Book of Haggai

Ready, Set, MEDITATE

- As the scene unfolds, what two characters are introduced? What is the Word of the Lord that comes to Haggai? What are the people guilty of? Why specifically has this behavior caught the attention of God? What does God mean when he accuses them of putting their wages in a purse with holes? Have you ever been guilty of such a sin?

- What then does God tell the people to do? Why did He demand it of them? Because of the people’s unfaithfulness, what did God cause to happen? How did the people respond?

- As the people began to build in earnest, what promises does God make to the people? What promises does God have in store for us today? Even though the purpose of a Temple has changed, why is it equally important to do well with and maintain the excellence of where we assemble as God’s people? How could having a similar vision increase the blessing as we restructure our campus?

Ready, Set, PRAY

Lord, You are good, and Your love endures today! With the presence of Your promised Spirit, we have, as sons and daughters of the promise, received a new anointing to go into our world and proclaim the majesty of Your Name!

God, we know that You have forever been in the business of doing mighty works in rooms and buildings. What would only be brick and mortar in our hands becomes a mercy seat for Your promised presence! Father, we believe this to be no more obvious than in church buildings across the world, for as each Sunday morning, we assemble in like mind and purpose to uplift Your righteous name – the name that is above all names. Truly our house is Your house, and that house is doubly special. Lord, as we endeavor to refurbish and revitalize this facility for the purpose of further glorifying You, would You cause us once again to revive our imagination, to see our purpose more clearly, and to earnestly look toward You as our reason, vision, and mission.

God, You have seen fit that this extension of Your Son’s body has stood in Dallas for 151 years. If it be Your will, O Lord, may our efforts to reinvent ourselves for the sake of saving many continue this great church until the day of Christ. We seek Your profound blessing as we accomplish this goal. That Christ might be lifted up and in His name we pray, Amen.

Ready, Set, WORSHIP!