God’s Throne of Grace

 

TODAY: Make our church a welcome place for visitors. Invite a friend or neighbor to visit our church. Extend a warm greeting to guests. Engage in a genuine conversation. Invite them to return.

“Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace for help in time of need.”

About one block from my office at George Washington University in downtown Washington, there stands a church that I walk past nearly every day. The church, now more than 100 years old, always has struck me as an interesting place. For starters, the church’s sign lists its name, “The United Church,” in both English and German. And according to a plaque on the side of the building, the church was the longtime home for German Lutherans up until the mid-1970s, when it became home to United Methodist and United Church of Christ congregations. The church has fairly frequent events for the public, such as concerts featuring a European brass band or luncheons and dinners with various German foods.

Despite my curiosity about this unique church, I must admit that I never gave much, if any, thought to worshipping there. This was for the simple reason that when it came to worshipping God and enjoying fellowship with others, I preferred to be in the comfort of my own church.

My perception toward The United Church (and more broadly, toward other churches not my own) changed immediately after the tragic events of Tuesday, September 11. Like the great majority of working Americans, I was back at my job before week’s end. I will not attempt to describe all of my emotions during this time, but suffice it to say I was stunned, anxious and confused. On either the Thursday or Friday of that week, The United Church announced that it was opening its sanctuary doors at noontime for anyone seeking a place to pray or reflect.

I took the church up on its invitation. After praying and reflecting silently at one of the back pews, I glanced around and saw that many other people were in attendance that day. My guess is that most of these people did not belong to the church, but rather — like myself — were just members of the university community or people who worked in the neighborhood.

My time of silent contemplation was incredibly comforting to me that day, even though I was not within the familiar confines of my own church. Hebrews 4:16 helps us remember that regardless of where we may find ourselves, God’s powerful throne of grace is always available to us.