A few weeks ago I overheard a conversation that a couple of guys were having about the changing weather and their excitement to get out their golf clubs and hit the course. They were talking about their golf buddies and the courses they play on. They talked about their new putters and drivers and how they were going to help them accomplish their goals of of lowering their score. They even talked about their dreams of different courses that they would love to play on and people they wish they could play with. Through it all I could tell that they were excited about golf!
I didn’t join in their excitement. It’s not that I am anti-golf. I do think that it is a good place to fellowship with other guys. I do think that it is a great way to enjoy the beauty of Kansas spring day. I do think that it is a great way to improve your skills in a way that develops discipline and motor skills. Matter of fact, years ago I bought a book on how to become a better golfer. I upgraded my clubs (thanks to my father-in laws hand me downs), and I even watched Tiger Woods and others play in The Masters. I’ve even gone so far as going to the driving range and hitting some balls. However, when it comes to going to the golf course to play a round….the reality is, I’m just not interested. There are many other things that I want to spend my time doing rather than playing golf.
Unfortunately, the attitude that I have toward golf is the same attitude that many of us take towards church. There are many other things that we would rather be doing than go to church and frankly, we’re just not interested in church anymore. We say things like, “I hear my friends talk about going and how they enjoy it. I know that it is a place where I can experience God and build my relationship with Jesus so that I can be better equipped to function in this world. I know that I can help other people to grow in their understanding and relationship with Jesus as well, but the reality is…I’m just not interested…there are many other things that I want to spend my time doing rather than going to church.”
Does this define you? Are you finding yourself desiring to do “other things” on the weekend and you don’t have time to fit church in? We have Bible apps on our phones, podcasts of our favorite preachers, we even get devotions emailed to us that we can read at our convenience…so why do we need church?
Because God’s people are meant to be together. They are meant to gather together to worship Him, to build one another up, to bear one another’s burdens, to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, and to display to an unbelieving world what God’s family is supposed to look like.
Consider the words of the Hebrew author when he says, “let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near” (Hebrews 10:24-25)
When I choose to be interested in something besides a round of golf, my life doesn’t get altered too much and no one else is going to miss out by my absence. But, when we choose to take interest in something besides our church family, we lose the family that God has designed to help us get through life. We can’t be connected if we don’t come.
Something to ponder…
Are you seeing church as something to attend only if it is convenient?
Are you facing burdens in life that you need someone else to help you carry?
Is there someone that needs your encouragement at church this Sunday?
Think of one person this week that you know that needs to get reconnected to God’s family…be the encouraging voice that invites them to come to worship with us.
Pastor Dwight