A Glimpse Of Heavenly Faith

A Glimpse of Heavenly Faith

All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer.

Acts 2:42

Because the Amish hold church services in homes, there is no upkeep on a building, no church parking lot or playground. There is also no bell welcoming parishioners, and no church foyer for mingling. But the joy of meeting together is not lost.

Father always drives the horse and buggy, with mother and baby beside him and the young children in the back seat. In winter, mother and baby may be tucked in the back seat of the carriage, where the air is not so sharp and raw. The sight of a dozen carriages turning single-file into the long farm lane, and the sound of still other horses trotting on the hard-surface road over the hill, evokes deep sentiments among the gathering community. Neighbors and those nearby usually walk to the service. No driver would think of passing another “rig” on the way to the service.

On arriving at the place of worship, the carriage halts in the barnyard, where the mother and girls dismount. Father and sons drive to a convenient stopping place, where they are met by hostlers, often sons of the host household, who help unhitch the horse and find a place for it in the stable. The horse is given hay from the supply in the barn. Meanwhile the men cluster in little groups in the stable and under the forebay of the barn, greeting one another with handshakes and in subdued voices.

The commitment the Amish have to one another is evident. Mothers and babies are cared for. No one buggy attempts to beat the others to the meeting place. “Hosts” welcome those who arrive, and the stable becomes the foyer. In these behaviors we can see that the best type of faith is steadfast, tender, patient, and welcoming. Paul wrote, “Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News” (Philippians 1:27).

That kind of faith gives us a glimpse of heaven to come.

Dear heavenly Father, I thank You that even on earth we can get a glimpse of heaven through the loving faith of Your servants.