Good Excuse?

 

Last Sunday prior to Bible Study we were all chatting and enjoying fellowship when one lady said, “This is my favorite place to be” She smiled, looked around and the surrounding conversations continued.   Then another lady in the room made the comment “You can’t get people to come to church anymore”.  If we could only get those people to hear the words, “This is my favorite place to be”.    So, do you go to church and gather with God’s people, or do you make excuses instead?

Let us see if I can come up with five good reasons not to go to church

  1. Church lasts too long.
  2. Too much to do.
  3. I don’t feel closer to God after going.
  4. Someone hurt my feelings.
  5. I can just watch church on TV.

Well, I guess you could say all are reasons not to go to church but good reasons?  You could call them excuses.   We all do it from time to time.   But do not let the reasons become a habit of not going. Let us focus on five reason to go to church.

  1. God’s word is powerful. Maybe if you go on the days you can come up with five reasons not to go that is when the message being shared by your pastor, Bible study leader, or a member was just what you needed to hear.   “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” Hebrew 4:12
  2.  A chance to mentor someone. You have the chance to change someone’s day, year, life with words of encouragement. “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” Proverbs 27:7
  3.  Talk to God.  God wants to hear from you.  If you speak, he will listen.  “Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. “Jeremiah 29:12-13
  4.  Share a smile or kind words with someone. “Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:32
  5. Because God says too.  “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.”  Hebrew 10:25

So back to the comments made – This is my favorite place to be and you can’t get people to come to church anymore.  Wow, what a statement when you put it all together.  If you are a churchgoer and you are out talking about your church, what words come from your mouth.  Are they encouraging words or hurtful words?  Speak of the blessings you received.  Even on a bad day, you can find one blessing.  Think back to the last time you were in church or with God’s people.  What was the last blessing you received just by being there?  One of my blessings was hearing two of the ladies talking before Bible study started.  From that point forward they just kept coming. 😊


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