There is something truly heavenly about being in a place surrounded by people who mostly believe the same things as you do about God and His plan and about singing your heart out to Him while surrounded by others who are doing the same. It is truly magnificent and if you do not get to experience this, I believe you are missing out on something wonderful - a real treat. The only cost on your part is perhaps getting out of bed earlier than you would like, getting dressed, and driving to a nearby place of worship. Truly, I believe that if you weighed the cost, you would do anything to be in a church on a regular basis, just because it is so good, so wonderful, so worth it. Now I believe strongly that we are responsible for spending time with God daily on a regular basis and that going to church does not in anyway make up for the time you are to be spending with Him daily. Church, instead, is an added bonus to the time you make with Him on your own.
If you are a child of God, then you will love the things of God. You will love singing to Him. You will love reading about Him or at least learning more about Him if you are not a reader. He is Your Delight. All of us, even followers, fall away from Him from time to time. We lose sight of the blessedness we have with Him, and sometimes, He, Himself, seems to withdraw from us. In other words, there are times that these things delight us more than at other times.
If you are in a church where God is alive and active, you allow yourself to be blessed by other men and women who love God and allow God to work through these people. When you do not go to church, I believe you miss out by not being a part of the working body of Christ - the people who make up His body. There are many biblical reasons to go to church, of which I can lay out if you would like. Today, I only appeal to you through my strong love of the church in hopes that you too would want to experience what I experience every Sunday.
I recognize that some of you stopped going to church because you were hurt or you were hurting and no one noticed. All of us ache regularly. We all need to ache regularly, so God can show us His mercies, which are new everyday. You may have been burned by a "hypocrite." Let me say that all of us are hypocrites at some time or another. Have you ever met a perfect Christian? I have not. More than likely, we will hurt one another. I know that all of us can come up with lists of excuses and reasons why we need not do something we really don't want to do, and usually, those reasons are well rehearsed in our minds.
Most of the time, it is not really about them - the other people, that is. It is something deep with us between you and God and how you relate to Him. Life cannot be lived holding other people responsible. You are responsible for you and you alone. You are responsible for your response to God. Maybe the grudge you've carried has kept you from many blessings that He desired for you - one of which would be being around other believers at church. Maybe it is you who needs to forgive. I don't deny you that someone may have sinned against you, but ultimately, it is about You and God! Always remember this - it should and will shape everything you do in life.
Trust me, I have been hurt, and I could choose not to go to church as a result. I know for a fact though, that I would be missing out on a heavenly blessing. Church is for the most part a safe place to be. You can laugh, you can cry, you can be real in your struggles with life, and you can and will (if you allow it) experience healing by learning what He desires for you.
Next week when you are deciding what to do with your weekend, I encourage you to think about getting up a little early and finding a church to go to. You will know if God is there. You will not be able to miss Him. And if He is there, that's the best place to be.
I would love for you to join me at my home - sweet Valleydale Church.
No comments:
Post a Comment
I love to receive your thoughts. I am blessed and encouraged by them. May God bless your day today!