God Bless the Doorkeepers!

Rally day is always a festival day for me. The joys of believing are specially entwined with the joys of belonging as one finds one's way to the House of God. What a privilege we are given to gather with God's people week after week.

On arriving today I was reminded also once again of the care given that House in preparation for our coming--hardly noticed by many, perhaps, consistent as it is. We have more or less come to expect it. Hidden disciplines extended, day by day and week after week, tending to floors, walls, and carpets--not to mention all the special setups required of doorkeepers who thus minister to us by facilitating our worship, study, and fellowship.

A day in thy courts is better than a thousand, the psalmist says (84:10a). Indeed! That's exactly how I felt from arriving until leaving God's House today. And I realized the whole time while there how in no small measure the pleasure of it was due to staff colleagues who in devotion no less than mine--perhaps even greater--silently make their witness to what the psalmist then goes on to say, I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness (84:10b).

May God help us as ministers to be as faithful in our preparations for serving God's people as those doorkeepers are who prepare the way for us who come in and go out from God's House week after week. And may he give us the grace not only to recognize their combined efforts but offer each of them personally out thanks as well!