Not Church Again!

“Uggg. Do we have to go to Church again? We went last Sunday.”

We enforced the rule of going to Church on Sunday, even if the kids did not want to go. We were teaching them the good habit of discipline and worship. But did we teach them joy and mercy as the main reason for going every Sunday?

To encourage our Children to enjoy Church worship, we need to teach them to enjoy JESUS during the week. Each day must be Sunday in our homes. We must show them that JESUS is a 24/7 relationship. We must show them the true character of JESUS, that of mercy and love. They must see in us and learn for themselves the joy, love, contentment; the necessity of serving JESUS in each moment of our daily lives and in each circumstance we find ourselves.

“Love GOD and do what you want.” A perilous statement. “What? I have the freedom not to go to Church? I get to do what I want.”

“Yep. It’s all up to you. I have the freedom to do what I want in my marriage to your Mom. I can sleep in. I can let the garbage pile up. I can spend money on my man toys. I can stay late at the bars with my buds if I want to.

“But, since I love Mom, I only do that which is best for her. I praise her. I serve her. I want her to be successful in whatever task she chooses to do. I would do nothing to embarrass her; to cause her to weep; to bring her pain. Every moment of my life I seek to show her how much I love her.

“I stay faithful to my marriage vows, not because I have to, but because I want to.”

The same is said for our relationship with the FATHER. I limit my actions, not because HE said I had to, but because I want to. I love HIM. I want HIM to be proud of me. I want the world to see that HE is the most important person in my life. I don’t want HIM to be sorry at what HE sees me do or say. I love to see HIS smile on my life.

So Church is a must, not a weekly check list. We go because we love JESUS and love our fellow members of HIS Forever Family.

But ‘Church’ is not just for a couple hours on Sunday. Church is 24/7. 

We live like we are in Church every moment of our day: at work, school, driving, watching TV, reading, playing outside, eating and homework. If we show HIM worship in all that we do, then the joy of HIS love will overshadow all that we do. Then each moment of life becomes worship, in joy and love. Then Sunday Church time becomes simply an extension of our love for HIM. 

If we hold HIS hand every moment of our lives, walking to Church, hand in hand, is fun.