Where Are We?

Sundays are my favorite day of the week for many reasons. I absolutely love going to church, I love fellowship with other believers, I love the worship service, and I love hearing the Word of God preached. There is no other place I’d rather be.

Because I work two jobs, Sunday is my only day off. Sometimes it would be nice to have a day to sleep in. It would be nice to have some leisure time. Time to run errands and do stuff for myself such as get my hair cut, have my nails done, get a pedicure, read a book, or watch a movie. I would love to spend a day at the lake, the beach, or in the mountains, but I can’t let Sunday become that day. Don’t get me wrong. I am not talking about taking a vacation, going out of town, or even having to work. I used to work at the hospital and had to work every other Sunday. I didn’t like working on Sundays but people get sick on Sundays too. I am talking about not going just because we don’t feel like it or because there are other things we would rather be doing. When these things keep us from going week after week, we will eventually find ourselves not missing it at all.

There were many years when I just went to church because I was supposed to, or because I had to. It was just something I had to check off of my “Christian duties” list. It became a day of arguments and bad attitudes. A day where I would much rather pull the covers up over my head and sleep in. Then one night, during a revival, I had an encounter with Jesus. YOU CANNOT HAVE AN ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS AND NOT BE FOREVER CHANGED! I knew all about Him, but I didn’t know Him. That night, forgiveness, grace, peace, and love became real to me, as well as true repentance, and surrender. The Gospel changed me. It changes everything!

Here in America, for now, we have the freedom to worship, to fellowship, to preach and teach the Word of God publicly without fear. We should be thankful that we are so blessed. So why don’t we act like it. God’s house should be overflowing with people who love the Lord. It should be full of life and growth. There should be an excitement that others can see and want. If this is true then why are we absent so often. I am not talking about those who have no choice. We are not immune from sickness, being disabled, or having jobs that require us to work. I am not talking about those who are on vacation. I am also not judging anyone. Like I said, I have been there. I write about what I have been through, what I am learning, and about things I am struggling with. Some of my children are there right now, and it breaks my heart. I will not force them to go to church. They are adults and have to make their own decisions. However, I am truly baffled by those who say they love the Lord but don’t want to spend time with Him or other believers. If I miss going to church because of vacation, illness, work, or any other reason, it has a profound effect on me and not because I think I did something wrong, or because I base my relationship with God on being at church. My relationship with Christ is a personal one, as is everyone’s. It is a relationship that grows because of personal time spent with God in His Word and in prayer. The reason it affects me is because I truly miss fellowshipping with other believers and worshiping together.

I have heard people say that we don’t make God a priority and aren’t excited about church is because American Christians have been blessed with the freedom to go. I do not think that is the whole answer. I am sure that is part of it, but I also think it is because we are complacent. We have compromised our faith. We have allowed the world to reach in and get a foothold. With all that is going on in the world today, I cannot help but think about other believers around the world. Those who chose to go to church even though it puts their life in danger. Those who walk miles to meet in secret, praying that they aren’t followed, because they don’t want to bring danger to others. A few years ago, I read two books on Christian martyrs. Here is a glimpse of what just one man went through: months of solitary confinement, years of physical torture, suffering of hunger and malnourishment, horrible conditions with extreme cold and scorching heat, brain washing, threats to his family, and psychological cruelty, just to name a few. This Romanian pastor endured all of that, and why? His “crime” like so many others like him, was his fervent belief in Christ, and his public witness of his faith. Even knowing full well the consequences of going to church, whether in a basement, the woods, or a believers home, these Christians persevere. They still meet together because they know how important it is. For many, the cost of going to church is inhumane prisons, or even death. Christians in every other continent in the world are suffering, being targeted by hostile governments and regimes. Many lose their families, their friends, and their homes just because they choose to love God and follow Him. In a matter of 5 minutes, I found the names of 20 countries where our bothers and sisters are dealing with harassment, violence, imprisonment, loss of personal freedoms, deportation, and death.

I can’t help thinking about the difference between what happened after 9/11/21 and what has happened since Covid. After 9/11 churches were overflowing with people. People were searching for answers, searching for comfort, looking for hope. They found that Hope has a name and it is Jesus.

On the other hand, Covid closed the doors of churches and some have never recovered. Their doors are still shut or they’re dead. There is no longer any life in them. To be honest it is a lot more convenient to watch church from the comfort of our own homes. We don’t even have to get out of bed. We can sit in our pajamas and fuzzy slippers sipping on coffee and watch church. However, by watching from home, I found out something about myself that I don’t like. If I am “watching or listening” to church from home, I do not focus on the preaching and teaching of God’s Word. I am easily distracted. Somedays, I probably wouldn’t have be able to tell you what the sermon was about five minutes later. You may not have that problem but I do and I believe that there are many more like me.

My fear is, what happens to the church in America if hard persecution comes. If we can’t get out of bed on Sunday morning to go to church while we are free to do so, or go to church on Sunday night because of a ballgame, what is going to happen, when it becomes dangerous. That day may not be too far away. If we can’t make time for God now, will we then? As we pray for persecuted believers around the world, we need to pray for our brothers and sisters right here. Pray that we remain faith filled, Spirit led, and faithful.

Hebrew 10: 24-25 And let us consider together how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Romans 12: 6-8 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

Mathew 18: 20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.