CHURCH – checkbox or opportunity?

Opportunity!That’s my answer but that wasn’t always the case. Occasionally, yes, but not on a consistent level.

I often would rather have slept in, lounged around drinking coffee, caught up on that never ending domestic to do list before Monday got here, spend time with the family being lazy, the list was long (still is) and the tug of those items is still there some Sunday mornings.  However, today more than anything I don’t want to miss my opportunity!

What opportunity?  Glad you asked.  I don’t want to miss the opportunity to do Shane Hale’s part for others.  To bring my family to church to thank God for the wife and children He has blessed me with.  To put my children in a position for God to speak to them and for them to learn the stories of Jesus and salvation through Him.  To show God, He is more important than that list of excuses listed above.  To show my children (often less enthusiastic than me) that it is important to their father that he / we attend church.  To come together with the body of believers for a worship service.

I also don’t want to miss the opportunity to do Shane Hale’s part for himself.  To go to my Father’s house to commune with Him.  To be refreshed in my spirit, which never fails to happen.  My favorite part is the sermon.  That is the part that I enjoy the most because that is when I get to hear God’s message delivered.  Sitting ready, pen and paper in hand, I write down what speaks to me.

These days there is no internal battle for me getting up and out the door on Sunday morning.  I get excited about attending church on Sunday. I really do. I get excited about it because I know I am going to leave with something, I just don’t know what it is going to be.  I know there is a gift there waiting for me.  I only have to show up to receive it. I means seriously, if your child came to your house would that child not leave with “something”!

The writer downer – Attending church was often just a check box for me, something I knew I should do but often didn’t. That is no longer the case. It is an opportunity, to grow my faith.  I arrive with a spirit of “expectation”! I leave refreshed and often with another page or so of ammunition (notes) to fight life’s spiritual battles.
That little book is a powerful weapon.  My own personal book of promises and encouragement.  A free gift, just for showing up.

Get in the boat.   Do your part.

Shane / #16

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