Maybe you have spent your entire life attending Church. Maybe you have never missed a Sunday. Maybe you go multiple times a week, or every day. Still maybe you have never stepped foot into a Church. Somewhere within this broad spectrum, everyone has a spot. The importance of finding and attending a local Church can not be understated. Yes it is Biblical. Yes we are commanded.
I spent decades of my life rarely attending Church. Over a 20 stretch, I might have averaged 1 visit per year. That could be overestimating. But for some reason, every once in a while, I would get an itch or hear something that might draw me into a Church. I would go, feel a bit awkward, not know what to do and then leave. A feeling of having done something good would come over me, but life moved on, and so did my thought of Church. I am good. I am a mostly nice person. I don’t really need a Church to tell me or prove that. God likes me.
There are many other feelings we all have. How we feel about ourselves, the Church, the use of Church, the need for Church. It is easy to stay in our comfort zones. As we get older, it is certainly a challenge to step out of our routines or comfort zones. But until I opened up God’s Word, I only thought the Church was a place to show others that I care about showing others I am a good person; sometimes. Hey, look at me, I checked the box, I care about being seen as a nice person.
Maybe it’s the opposite. You have gone to Church every week all your life, so it’s just something to do or that you do. Its like waking up and drinking a cup of coffee. I have always done it so its just something I do without much thought.
I say all that because my wife and I got the COVID bug and were unable to attend Church. I thought a lot about it as I watched last week via livestream. And don’t get me wrong, it’s great to have if you can’t attend, but certainly does not replace going.
I walked in this week. The joy of being with my Church family flowed through me. As I sat back, listened to the music and a beautiful sermon, I could feel a tear welling up. In our secular, divisive culture, we are bombarded with a myriad of secular content that is draining. When I was younger, the bracelets WWJD (what would Jesus do?), were all around. For some reason they developed a negative connotation. Maybe Jesus is perfect, and He was, so how can anyone expect to live that way was the popular thought.
But every day, with every decision, as I continue my walk with Christ, I often find myself asking….If Jesus were to come back right now, would I want to be doing what I am doing? What am I listening to, what tv show am I watching, how am I reacting to someone that cut me off in traffic.
My Pastor, in his sermon, talked about recharging our batteries. That really got me thinking. There are many reasons we must go to Church (biblical, commanded). But as I looked around today at the praise, worship, and admiration for our Lord Jesus Christ, it was like a warm blanket on a cold winter night. We gather to worship God, to praise God, to love God, and to do it TOGETHER. Together with our brothers and sisters in Christ. Seeing those who love God as we recharge our batteries that are drained from the secular culture all around. The bond created with our brothers and sisters in Christ. It is a family. It is a family that we know extends beyond our Church to the other Churches all over the world that come together as the family of God.
I am beyond perfect. I make mistakes on a daily basis. But as I am strengthened by the Word of God and my EV battery is recharged by my Church family, WWJD takes on an entirely new meaning. Its not burdensome, or unfun, or boring, or dull…..It’s a blessing and gift from God. His will is my will, and his burden is light. When I didn’t love Him, He still loved me.
How glorious would it be to be praying, worshipping, praising Jesus in His Church with His church family when He returns!!! In the meantime, as I go about my day, I want to live with God, not apart. God knows all, sees all, hears all….what a blessing.
