“I miss seeing you.” - God
That’s the message on the sign outside a church in my rural
community. I feel certain the people who meet there are good,
well-intentioned folks. I feel certain they love God and try to live good
lives.
I just wonder if they believe God only misses seeing people
at the building where they meet.
Now, I have no doubts God is pleased to see people at
worship services. I am sure he rejoices at the sight of his people
rejoicing.
My problem with the sign is that I feel like it sends a
message that God wants to see us in church and leaves out the greater message
that God wants to be present in our lives everyday, in every situation.
Always. God sees me Monday through Friday at work. At the
gym. At home. He sees me on Saturday too. Where I go, he
goes.
I have been a clock puncher. One of those people who
showed
up at church 3 times a week. I even showed up at times when I did not want to go because I heard I would feel better if I went. Does God really
want me to feel better about doing something I don't want to do? Or,
does he want my heart and my life every minute of every day? Does he want
me to “go to church” or be the church in every nook and cranny of my life?
“Go and make disciples by baptizing them and bringing them
to church…” Huh? That’s not what scripture says but it represents my take on the gospel at certain times in my earlier life. “Do not forsake the assembly” is a
phrase that was pounded in my head. I still believe assembly is
important and something I desire but now I think the message should be “do not forsake
living as the church at every moment so the lost and hurting will desire to be
a disciple, will desire to give their life to Christ.” I don’t want
church attendance to ever be the most important message I can put on my sign.
I want to go much deeper with God and his desire for my life.
As I write this, I realize people may read it and think, "He's on a soapbox!" I’m not. I’m talking to me. You see, I used to
follow the Gospel of doctrine and church attendance. I used to believe if
I followed the “rules” and showed up at the building, I was doing God’s will.
It struck me recently when I heard a professing Christian say that “my
Christianity does not have anything to do with my job.” Wow! Then I
realized that is how I have lived most of my life. I was a Sunday
Christian but the rest of the week was mine. At work, I focused on work
and not people. On weekends, I had fun because we worked hard and played
hard and it was time to play.
God did not miss seeing me at church. He missed seeing me “be church”. And, I think, he
missed me seeing him anywhere besides a big building.
Community and relationships are core to the Gospel message.
Church attendance is not. Love the Lord your God will all your
heart, mind and soul is critical. If I do that right, forsaking the
assembly won’t be a problem.
God wants me to be a disciple. God wants to see me
every day and know that I am living to glorify him. God wants so much
more from me than just seeing me on a pew on Sunday and, I am confident he misses
seeing me more when I don’t show up to help the hurting and lost than when I
fail to show up at the meeting place.
I hope you enjoy your worship experiences. I hope you
long for them and can’t wait to meet together with the saints. And, I
hope you show up every day knowing God misses you when his disciple isn’t at
work, at the gym, on the streets, wherever he needs us and has called us.
Grace and peace.
Jeff Jones
Decatur, Texas
