I may step on some toes with my post today, but the beauty of America is it is simply my opinion and I have the right to express it.
I chose to skip attending church today. Not because I'm a 'backslider' or wanted to sleep in, or because I didn't want to get ready - none of those things were true for me. Even though I have worked for several churches in the past in programming, over the last decade I have battled an internal monster about what a lot of our western churches do in worship service. I take my charge seriously to spread the love and grace from God, that I have received, with others. Especially with my young granddaughters. In the past I have found it hard to explain to them the story we tell, and that they learn when we read Scripture, and balance that with secular parties and activities. Now I know about the importance of the fellowship of believers - eating together etc. But at this time of year I can't quite reconcile teaching about the triumphant entry of Jesus, leading up to the time-altering events of the remainder of the week - against an easter egg hunt, visit from the bunny etc. I can remember vividly the message of salvation and forgiveness that I learned and it had nothing to do with a great party at church. For many, church has become just another party, we work to make it bigger, fancier and more convenient in hopes of reaching the lost. I'm not saying I don't enjoy the social events of any season, and celebrating them with our family. I simply don't try to make it part of my worship and adoration time with God. I will no doubt be criticized by some for this opinion, and I say again it is simply that, my opinion. I don't fault those of you that choose to worship and party in this manner. And I'm sure there are stories of some coming to their life in Christ through a social event. I guess what I want my granddaughters to know more than anything is that God loves me, Jesus died for me and I value that and hold on to that. I learned none of that from a fancy party or the 'biggest draw'. I attended church alone, for the most part, as a child and I had adults that told me the story. I listened, I heard the Gospel and I learned to pray. More than that, I learned the life-giving message of Christ through the every day example of Christ followers, worship that was God centered and LOTS of self reflection.
I have been continuing to read in Nehemiah. I am learning of his determination against great opposition to take on a task and complete it. I know that my small absence from a worship service will have no effect in the bigger picture. But I also know that I had a powerful conversation this morning with an 8 year old (as the 4 year old sang "Happy Birthday Jesus" - her favorite song from last December at church day care) where we talked about Jesus being born, God having a task for him, and how this week we will remember his death. Yet that 8 year old said "Grammy, but Jesus died on the cross so I can go to heaven someday, right?" We also talked about the hard to understand concept of Jesus being with us, but how he died. So Holy Spirit - we covered that too! Before I took those girls home, she said to me "Grammy, I want to love like God loves." I think she gets it.
One last thing - I have seen a powerful move of God last week. In the classes I teach at a local non-profit, while they primarily are job skills training we also have Bible study. I have witnessed women that wonder how they will get to class, or how they will pay for rent, learning how to use the computer and write resumes, but the thing they take away the most is praying for each other, supporting each other and already their favorite time of our classes is the time we study the Bible together. We talk about how to apply it to our lives, and how knowing God and learning about Him can impact how we treat others and how we view ourselves.
May your week be blessed - mine will be spent in deep prayer, remembering the very reason I carry the label Christian, and how that all came to be. It is a heart wrenching time of year, but it changed my life more than any one thing ..........I will remember.
Matthew 28:18-20 Then the eleven disciples left for Galilee, going to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him - but some of them doubted. Jesus came and told his disciplies, "I have been given authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
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