Psalm 100

Psalm 100 NIV 

A psalm. For giving thanks.

 ¹ Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.  ² Worship the LORD with gladness;
       come before him with joyful songs.
 ³ Know that the LORD is God.
       It is he who made us, and we are his ^[a] ;
       we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
 ⁴ Enter his gates with thanksgiving
       and his courts with praise;
       give thanks to him and praise his name.
 ⁵ For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
       his faithfulness continues through all generations.

 When I walk into a really old church by myself (because my wonderful husband is playing with the kids outside),  I get chills down my spine and often tears just come. I try to just soak up my environment visually before I take the first shot. I begin to notice the architecture of the church and see the age and the wrinkles of time. The realization that generations of people have come before the Lord in this place to worship the Living God is not lost on me. I picture all the heart felt moments of people that  must have knelt before the Lord petitioning Him to answer their prayers.  I think about how many notes  were played on the dusty church piano and how many people nervously stood before a congregation and sang a beautiful song in worship. I imagine  what the church was like when it was brand new and the prayers of dedication that must have took place that the Lord would be honored. The most amazing of all of course, is that God doesn't have to imagine, He remembers. He remembers every tear of sadness, every tear of joy and every tear of every person who made Him Lord of their life. He is good. His love edures. He is faithful... forever... to all generations.
There are many reasons why I shoot photography, but THIS is why I love the Christian Legacy Collection. The church isn't static. The weathering of time does change things. The modern church doesn't look like it did generations ago. In fact, my church doesn't even have pews.  ( I okay with that. ) But our God??? He does not change. He is the same. He made us and we are His people. I am honored and privileged to praise Him and to know Him as my Lord and God.