I Can Do This!

No you can’t!  Have you ever run into anyone who told you they didn’t need to go to church regularly?  Someone who said that church is full of hypocrites, and God is everywhere, so why do they need to go?  Or someone who said that they give and give and give to so many people during the week, Sunday is family day… and God is everywhere anyway, right?  They may read their Bible here and there, and they probably pray before dinner, but Sunday is family day.  Or there’s even the person who says that they’re just plain tired.  Maybe they’re having a hard time facing brothers and sisters at church because there is sin in their lives.  Or maybe they’ve been hurt by someone sitting three pews down.  Or maybe their kids are whiny because it’s been a crazy week, so they’re just taking the day off.

I’m not against family days, and I’m not against needing rest.  I am against the arrogance behind the “I can do it myself” attitude.  I’m against skipping church as an excuse to avoid conflict or conviction.  I’m against thinking we have all that we need outside of church, with just a Bible and leading good lives.  Luke 4:16 says “And He came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up.  And as was His custom, He went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and He stood up to read.”  If Jesus Christ, who led the perfect life with the perfect ministry and the perfect intimacy with God found it necessary to fellowship with brothers and sisters on the Sabbath, then who are we to say we don’t need it.  If Jesus Christ found reading the Scriptures a vital part of His livelihood, then why should we be above it?

Spend time with family… take breaks as your body calls for them… but if you think you can live this life on your own… you’re wrong!  We need fellowship.  We need time alone with God, time in His Word, and time in prayer.  And we need to be part of the body of Christ!