There's a Place for You!
“Then thought I to understand this: But it was too hard for me; until I went into the sanctuary of God”
To understand purpose, to understand presence, to embrace and be embraced is to participate in worship. Many who no longer worship regularly in person or online (for reasons other than physical limitation) have most likely simply drifted away. There are many reasons people can give for not participating in worship regularly. We live in a free country where everyone is entitled to make choices…and there are now more choices than ever. And our church respects individual freedom and choice. It has been well put, “If people don’t want to come to church, you can’t stop them.”
Here is the shoe on the other foot. An avid spectator at sports events, a minister suddenly stopped attending. When asked for his reasons, he presented the familiar following explanation. “Every time I went, they asked me for money. The seats were too hard, and the people with whom I sat didn’t seem all that friendly. I went to many games, but the coach never called on me. The referees made decisions with which I could not agree. Sometimes, games went overtime and I was late for lunch, and getting home. The band played songs I never heard before, and games were scheduled when I wanted to do other things. Anyway, I was taken to too many games by my parents when I was growing up.”
Sharing in worship can be seen as a first choice, not a last chance. The whole point is this: THERE’S A PLACE FOR YOU AS PART OF WORSHIP!
Having the church coax you into participating is not the point. Having your needs catered to is not the point. Being entertained is not the point. Recognizing that God is so much greater than our human perspectives and that worship is not about our petty cares, but God’s glory and purposes - can redirect our reason for being. In his book, The Well Church Book, Brown Barr, writes,
“The refusal of many Christian persons to entertain
for even a moment the idea that the time and place
reserved for worship are qualitatively different,
special, sacred, is symptomatic of the exceedingly
deep and hidden resistance to the divine touch.”
Many people reserve a regular date night with their partner or spouse. It is a time to be together, to affirm their relationship and celebrate their love. It seems to me we could all stand to do that with the God, “from whom all blessings flow.” Yes…
THERE’S A PLACE FOR YOU AS PART OF WORSHIP!
I hope you’ll join us this week in person or online for the worship of our God as we explore the theme “A Christian Celebration or On with the Show” struggling with Entertainment versus Enthusiasm.
That we may all be touched,
Rev. Dr. David D. Young
Senior Minister