I was the only one sitting in the pew. Everyone else was kneeling at the communion service of our branch Church of Christ, Scientist, but it was just too uncomfortable for me to kneel, owing to a painful internal condition.
However, I realized I wasn’t just sitting in a church pew. I was there in church, positioning myself mentally, even more than physically, to experience a deeper sense of reality—a reality that, when understood, would reveal the structure of what I really am. Later, as I continued to let a stronger, spiritual sense of Church bless me, an adjustment gradually took place and I was on my way to freedom from the problem—and able to kneel in future communion services.
Many people over the centuries have found peace and inspiration as they sat in a pew. The church structure may have been grand. It may have been modest. But the sermon, the music, the prayer—all have encouraged receptivity to a divine influence in individual lives. Sitting in a pew can still bring much inspiration today, and while we are sitting there, more can be gained than we may have realized. The sermon can gradually be changing your view of reality, and it can be a healing force in your life.
