When I listened to the Our Daily Bread devotional this morning, it all came back to me. Somehow very early in my walk with God, He gave me a unique perspective on a critical topic.
I couldn’t quote the Scripture or explain the theology behind it at the time. I was in my mid-twenties, new to the faith, and had lots to learn (and still do). But I remember being surprised when I heard a much older believer say that she didn’t get much out of the service at a particular church.
I still remember the setting – almost forty years later. It was a Bible Study group that met in the person’s home. She was the leader. With as much gentleness and humility as I could muster, I shared that even though I didn’t feel I had much to offer, I still felt that I went to church more for what I could give than what I received.
Back to that Our Daily Bread devotional, John Blaze wrote:
I grew up the firstborn son of a Southern Baptist preacher. Every Sunday the expectation was clear: I was to be in church. Possible exceptions? Maybe if I had a significant fever. But the truth is, I absolutely loved going, and I even went a few times feverish. But the world has changed, and the numbers for regular church attendance are not what they used to be. Of course, the quick question is why? The answers are many and varied. Author Kathleen Norris counters those answers with a response she received from a pastor to the question, “Why do we go to church?” He said, “We go to church for other people. Because someone may need you there.”
Now by no means is that the only reason we go to church, but his response does resonate with the heartbeat of the writer to the Hebrews. He urged the believers to persevere in the faith, and to achieve that goal he stressed “not giving up meeting together” (Hebrews 10:25). Why? Because something vital would be missed in our absence: “encouraging one another” (v. 25). We need that mutual encouragement to “spur one another on toward love and good deeds” (v. 24).
Brothers and sisters, keep meeting together, because someone may need you there. And the corresponding truth is that you may need them as well.
Our Daily Bread
Long before Marie Kondo’s “Does it spark joy” advice, people have been asking a similar question. It’s understandable. It’s natural. We evaluate everything from our perspective. So, it’s natural to evaluate things in our life by asking how something benefits us. Is this object, activity, or relationship making my life more enjoyable or not?
Part of following Christ – being “born again” – means that we no longer have to settle for “natural.” We’ve been called to a different way. A better way. A SUPERnatural way. As we grow in our faith walk, we learn to ask if our thoughts, actions, relationships line up with God’s call on our lives. Rather than asking if we get enough out of an activity, ask God, what would you have me do? God, is there anyone here (or there) that you want to encourage through me? Please lead me.
