A few weeks ago I went to the Christian Book Store to look around and see what it was like. I had never been to this store, so I thought, "Ok, let's check it out." While doing some browsing, I came across the book, Good Morning, Lord: I don't know where you're going today, but I'm going with you. I decided to purchase it...
The book has been a wonderful devotional that is really encouraging to read in the morning. Here's a quote from it:
A basic truth: Christianity is not an employer-employee contract... So be warned! We may run ourselves ragged doing things for God - being a member of every committee at church, attending every prayer meeting, doing whatever job needs to be done - and lose the Lord in the midst of it all. Ultimately, only our loyalty to God as our Friend will hold us when life is tough...
She goes on to share with us John 15:14-15, "You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you."
Sometimes it can be difficult to find a place to call your "church family" when you are away from home (ex. college). It is like you can go anywhere you would like, but nothing seems to fit the standards or beliefs that you have held so strongly to. One place you go to may have really great worship and then another may have really good preaching. So where do you find the balance? Often times, one or the other have to be sacrificed to find a place that you may be content with. Many times I have been in this exact place throughout college. I have gone to one place and then hopped to another and to another. So why is this such a problem. Why is it so easy for people to not commit to one church family? For me, it's a church's beliefs, the way I connect with the church, and how willing is the church family willing to reach out. I am right in the middle of the Bible belt, and often that is the hardest place to be... so many choices, yet not on place that sticks out. I have grown up in the church and have set my beliefs, but often times these "standards" that I have set make me judgmental towards every church that I walk into. It is as if I am going in to the church to grade it or give a critique. Is that really the way it should be? Should one ever be content with just the ok standards? No. The Lord sets beliefs and convictions within each one of us. It is our responsibility to walk in obedience and follow His leading. This does not mean we have the right to go and judge every single place we walk into. Rather, be open (but stay strong to who we are). Why not reach out to those in the church? I mean, just because we are the new person does not mean we have to be the shy person in the back row who never says anything. Just because one church has a rock concert worship team and then another has an acoustic does not mean we should never visit that church again. We are called to go and make disciples of all nations... to bring others closer to the Lord. Church should never just be a comfy place where you go and just chill weekly to have a social gathering... Sure, it is great to see people/friends that you have not seen all week, but more importantly we should be reaching out to the lost and serving in a way that is right in the Lord's eyes.
If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17
The book has been a wonderful devotional that is really encouraging to read in the morning. Here's a quote from it:
A basic truth: Christianity is not an employer-employee contract... So be warned! We may run ourselves ragged doing things for God - being a member of every committee at church, attending every prayer meeting, doing whatever job needs to be done - and lose the Lord in the midst of it all. Ultimately, only our loyalty to God as our Friend will hold us when life is tough...
She goes on to share with us John 15:14-15, "You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you."
Sometimes it can be difficult to find a place to call your "church family" when you are away from home (ex. college). It is like you can go anywhere you would like, but nothing seems to fit the standards or beliefs that you have held so strongly to. One place you go to may have really great worship and then another may have really good preaching. So where do you find the balance? Often times, one or the other have to be sacrificed to find a place that you may be content with. Many times I have been in this exact place throughout college. I have gone to one place and then hopped to another and to another. So why is this such a problem. Why is it so easy for people to not commit to one church family? For me, it's a church's beliefs, the way I connect with the church, and how willing is the church family willing to reach out. I am right in the middle of the Bible belt, and often that is the hardest place to be... so many choices, yet not on place that sticks out. I have grown up in the church and have set my beliefs, but often times these "standards" that I have set make me judgmental towards every church that I walk into. It is as if I am going in to the church to grade it or give a critique. Is that really the way it should be? Should one ever be content with just the ok standards? No. The Lord sets beliefs and convictions within each one of us. It is our responsibility to walk in obedience and follow His leading. This does not mean we have the right to go and judge every single place we walk into. Rather, be open (but stay strong to who we are). Why not reach out to those in the church? I mean, just because we are the new person does not mean we have to be the shy person in the back row who never says anything. Just because one church has a rock concert worship team and then another has an acoustic does not mean we should never visit that church again. We are called to go and make disciples of all nations... to bring others closer to the Lord. Church should never just be a comfy place where you go and just chill weekly to have a social gathering... Sure, it is great to see people/friends that you have not seen all week, but more importantly we should be reaching out to the lost and serving in a way that is right in the Lord's eyes.
If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17
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