Back in 1970, Johnny Cash recorded a Kris Kristofferson song about a hung-over guy experiencing Sunday morning. It was titled, Sunday Morning Coming Down. In 1970 I was neither in church nor in Christ. (If you don’t know the difference, I would be happy to explain.) So, I could relate to those lyrics, especially these from the chorus: “I’m wishing, Lord, that I was stoned, ‘cause there’s something in a Sunday that makes a body feel alone . . .”
But then, I got saved. I came to Jesus. I came to church. Now, on Sunday mornings I am typically going up.
For over 35 years, I have been an active participant in church life. Unless I am sick or something really unusual is going on in my life that prevents it, you would find me in church somewhere each Lord’s Day. It is not religious devotion. It is relational devotion. My highest priority is to know, love & serve the God who made me and my Lord who saved me.
I will admit, every Sunday is not a fantastic experience for me. In fact, I have experienced Sundays in which I am inclined to feel that I would have been better off to have slept in. I have resisted the temptation to give into that line of thought.
You see, the church life is life maintenance to me. It is a spiritual discipline that has helped me mature, find and live-out my purpose, and build strength to face and overcome destructive temptations. Because church attendance is habitual for me, I didn’t miss church this week. I am so glad.
First, the worship team led us to exalt our God, the One who created this magnificent world in which we live, the One who created me, the One who loved me and brought me back to Himself. There I experienced moments of genuine connection with the Creator.
At communion time, one of our elders gave a meditation inspired by a leadership conference he had attended last week. He spoke about repentance. He first mentioned our typical thinking about repentance – repenting of the wrong things we have done. Then he called us to think of something else. How often have I repented for my motives when doing right things? Do I ever do right things with motives that are less than pure? Oh yes. It was an excellent reminder. It provided a moment of needed honesty between this creature and his Creator.
The preacher spoke about the compatibility of Scripture and science. It was an excellent message, excellently presented. It created no great shifts in my belief system; but my belief system certainly received some solid structural support. I am sure I need this regular stimulation. It helps keep my thinking sane and sober as I live in a world that is not.
Thank you, God, for the gift of The Church. Thank you, God, for my church.
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3 comments:
I worshipped in the same service as Dane and can affirm what he said to be true in my Sunday morning experience also.
I will admit that being a "church" person is rather easy and gratifying to me. Being Christ-like is much more difficult. I have learned I need to connect deeply with God's people in the church Jesus died for to better stay on track in living for Him.
Sunday morning this week, and in most weeks in the last year or two, I have experienced great help in learning to better connect with God and others and have had my faith and motivation strengthened. I am VERY thankful. To me, it is worth plodding through the few times when I do not go away refreshed, to receive the type of blessing I received Sunday. And I am forever grateful.
In the small group I am in, we are viewing a series of videos filmed in the holy land which help visually and by excellent teaching me learn to relate to Jesus' teachings in an entirely new way. I would be glad to recommend these videos to anyone and would happily find out the names of them to anyone who would like to contact me. They can be purchased at Mardel's and are distributed through Focus on the Family. All of us in the group are committed to watching them with discernment and thought and each of us has been amazed at how much insight into scripture they have given us. We have lively and thought-provoking discussions of them afterward.
Again, we are made for such as this.
Thanks for sharing your "amen" to this, Mary. We had an excellent small group experience Sunday eve, too.
Dane - that communion thought was also very thought provoking for me. I thought about again this week as well. I too am thankful for relationships. It was very good to talk with you after church today! This is my first time at your blog, but it won't be my last.
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