Its Sunday morning. I am a stranger in a city distant from home and tired despite a night's sleep. Family activities are planned for the day and there are many things to do.
But it is Sunday and I shall go to church.
I have visited this church before. It is small, has no music and the preacher was faithful but struggling when last I visited. Its more a little company of God's people than a triumphant gathering of the heavenly assembly.
So why go? I have already read my Bible and prayed at home. Isn't that enough?
I will go because of Heb 10:25. Its part of me to meet with God's people and all the more important when other routines of my life are disrupted by travel. Its because my attendance may be an encouragement to those who attend ... that a stranger should bother to attend. Its a quiet witness to the unbelievers around me that I make church a priority today. And its an encouragement to me as prayers, songs, sermon and fellowship reinforce who I am and what I stand for.
In short, I go because Jesus has come and is coming again and my attending is a response to what he has done and an anticipation of what he will do.
Postscript (written after the service).
I'm glad I went. Its now my second time at Ville Emard L’église du Christ. Some people remembered me and engaged with me. The pastor is on holidays and an older Afro-American man preached from the passage quoted above about the importance of being in church and what we should do when there. It was a good word and I spoke with the preacher afterwards about the link to my personal text that morning and how his words were a good encouragement.
No comments:
Post a Comment