Why Go To Church?

“Why are these people in church?” the pastor wondered.

From the distracted, unsmiling faces of those sitting in the pews, it appeared they would rather be in bed, sleeping; at the river, fishing; at the outlets, shopping; at a restaurant, eating; at home, watching TV, or on the golf course.

So, why are we in church? What is our motivation?

Is it guilt? We’re supposed to be in church, right? Fear? Won’t God get mad if I don’t attend? Habit? I’ve been going to church since I was knee-high to a grasshopper. Why change now? Expectations? What would people think of me if I didn’t show up? Obligations? Who will take up the offering, work the nursery, or run the sound system if I skip out?

Hmmmm. . . not the best motivations for attending church.

God’s Word offers great reasons to gather with other Christians. Obedience: “Don’t give up meeting together.” (Hebrews 10:25a) Joy: “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the LORD.’" (Psalm 122:1) Thankfulness: “Open to me the gates of the Temple; I will go in and give thanks to the Lord!” (Psalm 118:19; Encouragement: “Come and listen, all who honor God, and I will tell you what he has done for me.” (Psalm 66:16) Knowledge: “Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom [Christ] gives.” (Colossians 3:16)

From time to time my husband, who is a pastor, reminds our congregation that what we bring to church determines what take away from it. This coming Sunday, will you join me in exchanging guilt for obedience, joy for fear, thankfulness for habit, encouragement for expectations, and knowledge for obligations? Let us echo David in Psalm 122:1 saying, “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the Lord's house.’”

Be encouraged!

Pam

©2018 Pamela D. Williams

Balance

“I pray that your love will keep on growing more and more, together with true knowledge and perfect judgment, so that you will be able to choose what is best. Then you will be free from all impurity and blame on the Day of Christ.” Philippians 1:9-10

Recently separated from her husband, our daughter moved with her two sons to an apartment last weekend. The move was necessary but not something any of them really wanted. Emotional tension stressed all of them.

While Erin hoped to get all the physical stuff done quickly so she and the boys could begin to establish their new “normal”, it just wasn’t happening. Weather, work schedules, and a myriad of other unexpected happenings caused frustrating delays. Along with a mixture of anxiety, determination and defeat, Erin could feel her impatience rising.

So, rather than continue pushing, and risk losing her temper (or the boys losing theirs), she went to Walmart and bought a badminton set. For the next hour, she and the boys occupied one of the nearby tennis courts, swatting a plastic birdie back and forth. None of them were very good at it—which made it all the more fun as they laughed and joked over their lack of skills. It was the best thing she could have done. It brought balance back to their lives, giving them hope that, amidst this painful season, there could still be good times.

Isn’t balance what we all need in our lives—to somehow equalize opposing tendencies? Like a seesaw in a playground, with a child of the same weight on each side, we must balance work with leisure, personal freedom with obedience, indulgence with temperance, solitude with community, faith with works, tradition with relevance, etc. However, reaching that goal can be a challenge. At times we all feel off-kilter. How do we attain that illusive balance?

We can start with God’s Word. Scriptures offer guidance on every topic. Luke 10:38-42 gives us God’s perspective on priorities. James 1:5 is God’s prescription for gaining wisdom. Mark 12:29-31 offers guidance in how best to love. Luke 12 provides us with God’s view of earthly possessions. And those are just a few of the thousands of helpful verses in the Bible.

Looking for some practical applications of Biblical principles? Marina McCoy, in her article, Five Tips for Discerning Balance in a Busy Life, shares down-to-earth recommendations for finding healthy equilibrium.

Be encouraged! We can obtain balance!

 Pam

©2018 Pamela D. Williams