The Old Country Church from my Childhood

I have had the opportunity to reconnect with some old places and people from my childhood over the past few weeks, being in Alabama. On Monday (8/5) I heard that a family friend in the area had passed away. I had just spent time reminiscing with his mother the day before. The visitation for the family was on Thursday evening and I decided after the funeral on Friday I would “trespass” on private property to see the old church I went to as a small child. 

While at the visitation, one of the deceased’s relatives introduced me to their father and informed me that he owns the property of the church. I knew this was a divine connection.

So after the funeral on Friday afternoon, I made my way over to the old church. It is still standing, although it seems so much smaller than it did when I was a child. The steps don’t seem as intimidating.  The out house was still standing, but barely could be seen because of all the overgrowth.

As I stood there, although it was a nostalgic feeling, I knew that there was something else happening in the Spirit. This is the church where several young girls were taken advantage by a couple of predators. There are only about three or four people still alive who were from my parents generation in that church.  Many, if not all of the children and grandchildren of that generation have been affected in their relationships and marriages. 

The next morning while praying, the Scripture from Proverbs kept going over and over in my head. I knew it was speaking, prophetically about this church:

I  went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding; and, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down. Then I saw and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction. Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep; so shall thy poverty come as one that travels, and thy want as an armed man. Proverbs 24:30-34

Learn the parable of the overgrown church: because sin was allowed to sit on the pews, iniquity took root and spread until it destroyed the congregation. There were those who were able to escape it, but none was unaffected by it.  If sun is not dealt with, it takes root and begins to spread until it destroys not only one person’s life, but the whole community. And finally, the stone walls, for the barriers begin to crumble and it spreads far and wide. 

Jesus is the only way. He is the answer to the sin problem. Only by His blood is there forgiveness and deliverance!