I recently became an usher at my church which entails indicating to rows of parishioners when it is their time to come forward for Communion. I enjoy the activity because it reminds me of how Christ welcomes each of us to come forward to be with him each day of our lives.
We have opportunities in our lives to usher others to draw near to the Lord in prayer or Bible study or worship. But how often do we take advantage of these chances? I recently went to worship at another church because a friend invited me. I enjoyed the experience and learned about the benefits of approaching the Scriptures from a different angle than I was used to. My time there helped me to grow in my faith. And my faith would not have grown in that way had my friend not ushered me toward worship in her church.
In the Bible we are introduced to other ushers as well. Andrew told his brother Peter to come and see Jesus. Had Andrew not invited Peter, would Peter have become a disciple? I think of those who were healed by Jesus who told people about him. Would they have heard otherwise? Word of mouth is more crucial than ever these days to direct people to Jesus with the plethora of other invitations in emails and texts and posts that can so easily be ignored or discounted. But if you personally welcome someone to come close to Jesus, the impact can be powerful. Usher people to Jesus today.
