| Crosswords: Should I stay or should I go? |
By Richard Prow ~ rpcrosswords@gmail.com
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“Did you go to church this past Sunday?” My grandmother felt compelled to ask that question when we would get together every month or so during my childhood. Religion didn’t register a blip on my family’s radar screen so the answer would almost always be, “No.” My grandmother knew that before she asked but she wanted me to know that it was important to her. On the rare occasion that I had attended a church service - only at the urging of a prospective girlfriend - my grandmother would ease back in her recliner, issue a satisfying sigh and send a warm smile in my direction. The world was once again in it’s proper orbit.
Maybe you had an aunt, or a cousin, or most likely a grandmother who inquired of you the same way. Your spirituality was important to them, and church attendance they surmised, was a direct reflection of your condition. (If you missed a month of services an entire Sunday School class was praying for your soul).
To be sure, church attendance is vital. Believers need to assemble together to worship God and mature in their faith. Unbelievers need an opportunity to respond to God’s offer of grace and redemption. However, church attendance is not always an indication of how someone stands with God. Plenty of unbelievers make their way to sanctuaries each weekend while many believers can be found on their couches or at their favorite golf courses.
God certainly wants us to be in His house. He encourages attendance in both the Old Testament and the New. But if we show up without the right frame of mind, we’ve simply worn down the tread on our tires for no reason. Jesus, speaking to some hypocritical church goers, said, “...if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother...” (Matt. 5:23-24). You shouldn’t attempt to worship God if you’ve left a trail of blood on the way to the temple.
God isn’t looking for a perfect attendance record. He doesn’t get bent out of shape when your pew is unoccupied on a particular Sunday. He is searching for those who are willing to expose themselves and their sins to Him and to the people they encounter. He desires worshippers who have forgiven and sought forgiveness. He wants you at His house, but He doesn’t want you to clash with the décor.
If you want to make your grandmother happy, go to church this Sunday. If you want to please God, show up after you’ve made a few necessary stops along the way.
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