I’ve been keeping a wary eye on the weather forecast. Texas weather can change in a hurry and I was hoping for some improvement. I hope it won’t keep people from coming to Church. I’m not sure what the ideal temperature is, because when it comes to staying out of Church, any excuse will do.
Football fans will drive through a blizzard, sit for hours on hard benches, in the freezing cold, but can’t drive to Church in a heated car, sit on padded chairs, in a warm building, for a couple hours to hear from GOD. Though they have nice cars, SUVs and four-wheel-drive trucks, a little rain is more than enough to keep them from driving down the highway to Church.
Good weather really creates a problem. A nice day, with sunshine is too nice to waste on a Sunday morning service! They need family time and fresh air! Never mind they will spend most of the time driving, in a restaurant or in a hotel on their smart phone or tablet.
Maybe the problem is the Church? The preaching is too shallow or too deep, they use too much scripture or don’t use the Bible. The music is too loud or I can’t hear it; it’s too modern or old-fashioned. I don’t know the songs or they always sing the same ones. The seats are too hard or I get comfortable and can’t stay awake. Take your pick or join in and make a difference.
Could the problem be the people? Those people are so cold or they are too friendly; they don’t care about me or they won’t leave me alone. They always want me to do something or they don’t really need me. Those people don’t know me or everybody knows my business. If you show them some love, maybe they will change, or maybe you will?
I know you can’t always make it to Church. If you do make it to ours, 89 year-old Pastor and Sister Moore will be waiting for you. In fact they get there early to turn on the heat or air, and endure the cold or heat, so you will be comfortable. Pastor waits until someone arrives to sit with Sister Moore, and then goes to pray. He will have studied for countless hours and prayed for days to get the mind of GOD and prepare a sermon. He neglects his ranch, but visits the sick when he can and maintains the Church, to save money. They do that for you, so you will feel welcomed and loved. Did it work? Maybe you can pitch in and ease their burden?
Just after I arrived last Sunday the Head Usher called to say he got sick and had to stop on the highway. He apologized, said he would buy medicine and might be late. He is considered handicapped and retired as a barber to care for his severely handicapped wife. In spite of that and being in his seventies, Brother Robert has made the 70 mile round trip for 33 years. He called again apologizing, saying even with the medicine, he was too sick to continue.
That kind of faithfulness reminds me of GOD, who “so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16 KJV). JESUS had a great excuse! He wasn’t guilty, yet He died for our sins. Now what was your excuse? Someday you will have a great excuse for missing Church. You will die and be before JESUS, to receive your judgment or reward. On that day no excuse will do!
Wayne Lance (2019)