by David Cassidy, Christ Community Church, Franklin
One of my new joys in life is The Ryman, where I savored the richly textured silky sound of Diana Krall this past week. Ryman magic is not news to those of you who’ve called Greater Nashville ‘home’ for many years, but for the newbies its discovery is right up there with a first kiss. While I’ve only been to a few events there so far, I know its a place where I’m going to spend a lot of happy hours over the next several years. I’m going to have to add a ‘concert’ column to my personal budget though, committed as I am to getting the most affordable ‘best seat’ in the house. That was section 6, row U, seat 10 last week for me.
We all like the ‘best seat’ we can get for whatever event at which we find ourselves, and that usually means near proximity to what’s most valued. For concerts, its close as we can get to the musicians, or a backstage pass if we can swing it. If we’re flying we’d choose the much coveted exit row in cattle class or, if we can afford it, the comforts of first class. If its a Predators match, we’d prefer the glass. If its our favorite college football game, we treasure the fifty yard line. If its the Titans we prefer to avert our gaze, and probably just take the private corner booth in a really fine steak house.
For years I’ve been amused at what constitutes ‘the best seat’ at church on a Sunday morning. It seems a slightly different rule applies there. In almost every case, its the seat furthest from the action, as far at the back as possible, that many people value most highly. In almost every situation we want to be as close as we can to the action but when it comes to worship we often appear to prefer the nosebleed section. The front rows aren’t usually the first to fill up in most places.
I guess someone could claim that they were simply engaging in humility when they head for the back row, following Jesus’ teaching about taking the ‘lower seat’ at the banquet. That might be more believable if we were talking about seats at the Schermerhorn. My guess is that while we’d go for a front row seat at church if it was the venue for a band we love, we prefer to keep God himself at a safe distance.
I have a friend who once spoke to a small congregation, all seated in the back two rows of a twelve row chapel. He picked up the lectern and moved to the third row from the back so, he said, they could hear better. I love that guy.
The truth is that God’s perfect love demolishes the fear we might understandably have about him, the soul-paralyzing shame we could be victimized by in a religious setting. We all know that religion can often operate with the currency of guilt, but he Gospel of Grace, by contrast, removes our fear and shame, and honors us with a front row seat at the King’s Table. Grace is so abundant,  That has to be the best seat in the house, and we didn’t even pay for the ticket. Your seat is reserved and I hope to see you on the front row soon.
