I was a little put off this morning as I followed up on my facebook posts, and sensed what seemed to be such a lack of reverence for the Lord's house. People were more concerned about "rocking the river", outings with friends and family, school work, and catching up on sleep (which I'm sure was lost doing something to benefit themselves and not in service to their Creator) than they were about gathering to worship with other believers.
I'm not a theologian, and not even very smart, so I won't argue the keeping of the Sabbath (when it is, what it is, how Old Testament law translates into New Testament freedom, etc...). But, I know that setting aside time to gather with other believers for corporate worship, exhortation and spiritual guidance is impertent to every believer! I know this not only from God's word, but from personal experience. I'm sure most of you have heard the example of how a burning log removed from a fire will eventually die down and grow cold on its own. I know from experience the truth of that as it relates to a Christian's life.
Shortly after our marriage, John and I (relishing the new-found freedom we had) began missing a church service now and then for things we felt were important for us to do. Little by little, the things of our local church slipped further and further down our list of priorities, until one day, we rarely even went to church at all. We thought we could still nurture our own relationship with God, but we couldn't. We grew colder and colder until sin began to slip in and we excused that also. Those 7-8 years became very dark times for us. We experienced great hardship and loss, and have the scars to prove it. We need the teaching of the church, the fellowship of other believers, and the corporate worship to keep us burning strong. It gives us accountability and encourages faithfulness. It's important!!!
Hebrews 10:23-25 says, "Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
For the sake of your own personal relationship with Jesus Christ, for the sake of those watching and learning from you, for the faithfulness of God to us every moment of every day...reconsider your priorities, is HE worth it?
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Sounds like your dad wrote this! You are turning into a religious fanatic! How dare you even suggest such a thing! Don't you know that entertainment of the flesh is more important than going to the House of God? Don't you know you can worship God better when you're camping, or sleeping in on Sunday? Don't you know that the church is not important to Christ? He only died for it, that's all. Don't you also know that your dad is very proud of you and agrees with you 100%? I love you, Dad
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