Wasn't There

"As I was going up the stair
I met a man who wasn't there!
He wasn't there again today,
Oh how I wish he'd go away!"
By William Hughes Mearns (1875–1965)

You must have heard the nonsense poem made famous by Mearns. It makes us smile when we hear it, because we know it makes no sense and we don’t have to think too much about any deeper meaning. But, I ask you, is it really nonsense?

I think we can get so used to something, or someone, being there and yet one day we turn around and it or they are not there anymore. Next day, or next month, or even next year we look again and still nothing. Did we take that special memory for granted? Probably, but that might mean we didn’t do all we could to savour and keep the importance of that memory alive, which was a once treasured possession.

Instead of taking the line “Oh how I wish he’d go away” at face value, is it possible that the writer is haunted by their unexpected loss, and now needs some peace from the haunting memory and that’s what he wants to go away? I suggest what is true of people, can also be true about things. Or to be more accurate, things which are made up of people. A club, a community, and yes, possibly even a church! At one time not so long ago, it was there but when we turn around some time later we notice it isn’t there now. Or at least not in the way we remember it, and the thought of that memory haunts us.

As with people who have died, churches close and die too, in which case the poem might read:

As I was going up to prayer,
I saw a church that wasn't there!
It wasn't there again today,
Oh how I wish it’d go away!
(My apologies to Mearns!)

The Grieved Spirit

A good friend has a saying: ‘I’d rather have a sore face than a red face’ and I know exactly how he feels and what he means. We hate being embarrassed, and try to avoid it at all costs but we don’t always succeed. In fact, we can also be the reason for some others’ embarrassment, and there are time we do it intentionally.

On a legal theme, we are told that it is more important to recognise and honour the spirit of the law, rather than just the letter of the law. Now take it a step further into our faith lives and ask yourself if you ever embarrass the Lord, either intentionally or not? I think we all have done that, and immediately regretted our actions, feeling that we have grieved God, and our own spirit reacts to the Holy Spirit in contrition. Taking the Holy Spirit for granted, and calculating our sin in advance of ‘assumed future forgiveness’ is a very dangerous thing. I suggest that is more of a conniving heart, than a contrite heart. The bible tells us in Jeremiah 17:9 that the ‘heart is deceitful above all things, and beyond cure’.

We are all very familiar with the forgiving nature of God, and we are right to be very thankful for it. We serve a God of the second chance! So what do we do with these verses: And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man. Genesis 6:3 or Whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come. Matthew 12:32

Since Scripture is inspired and cannot contradict itself, we cannot afford to ignore these verses. You can rationalise the first one, and say it applies to the Genesis flood only, but you cannot do that with the words of Jesus, so we must take care when we already know the way and choose to take His Word for granted and abuse it. In that respect, could it be that the saved have a much greater responsibility to keep His commandments, than the unsaved to find salvation. According to these verses, the eternal result would be the same. Now that’s a staggering and sobering thought.

Granted?

We all take something, or someone for granted from time to time. They are there in the background, and we know how much they do for us, and for others, but we assume they know that we know and care. But do we? Are we not guilty of taking them for granted? It happens in business, in our families, and even our churches. I don't think we mean any harm, and certainly would not want anyone to take us as insensitive either.

Every now and again, something will happen to prompt us to be more aware of others, than ourselves. That little 'push' is sometimes all we need to remind us that we are not alone. And neither are those we care about.

It is no coincidence that church folks are referred to as 'The Family of God'. It is also no surprise that when we pray, we don't always know what form the answer will take. There are occasions when we pray for someone, or a situation because we just 'feel' it. No surprise there, after all, families will often know there is something wrong, but can't put their finger on what it is. So it is with the Family of God. We may direct our prayers as we see fit, but God knows better than us how to answer, and when! Is it important that we get all the facts right when we pray? No. Is it important that we let our Family know that we are praying? Yes, I think so. It gives encouragement, and that is a two way street. By praying for each other, we are also supporting each other.

So, next time you 'feel' the need to pray for a situation or a person, and yet you don't have all the facts, don't be put off. Go right ahead and leave that prayer parcel at the door of heaven. Jesus will pick it up, and take it straight to the Father, who knows exactly how to respond, and the right time to answer. So, for my quiet friends, thanks for reminding me of the honour we have of praying for each other, and not to take my Family of God for granted.