Why I go to church (revised)
I didn't sleep well last night. I'm not sure why. It was just one of those nights where you wake up in the middle of the night for no reason. I had the worst time getting back to sleep.
I woke up feeling a little melancholy. Maybe it was just the weather. Maybe it was the after affects of walking nose first into the wall last night on my way to bed. I've walked down that hallway dozens of time in the dark. Usually I hit my shoulder into the little knick-knack cabinet on the wall. That I've done before but never cracked my beak into the wall. The funny thing was that I landed on the light switch right after I did it and the lights came on. I have to laugh a little bit at it and thought for sure I'd wake up with two black eyes. It was a hard hit. I didn't though. What I did get out of it is a great metaphor about being in darkness and light. I'll save it for another day.
I didn't have to force myself to services this morning. It was just kind of a ho-hum morning, but I found some slacks and a nice shirt and went to church. I'm glad I went. Here's why:
Today, I was asked to read a bible verse during the service. I'd like to share it with y'all today:
Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as
the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your
prayers. Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another, be sympathetic, love as brothers, be
compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing
1 Peter 3:7-9a
A great message for all of us as we start a new week, don't you think? Anyway, more than the bible message of the day, I'd like to share with you another reason why I go to church. Like I said, I was feeling a little blaze' about getting ready. Today was laymen's Sunday at our church. Some of the men sang a compilation of hymns during the offering. Some of us had a chance to read Bible verses the pastor asked us to read. Instead of a sermon, we talked as a congregation about some of the great men of the Bible.
One of my favorite books in the Bible is the book of Job. Job faced trial after trial and kept his faith in God. It's an amazing story of patience, of perseverance, and faith. Another favorite story of mine in the Bible is how Saul became Paul and the great works he did. Saul persecuted the early Church. Paul helped spread and grow the Church, through the forgiveness and calling of God. God didn't hold Saul's sins of the past against him, he transformed Saul into the man Paul, who would deliver the Good News to so many! This man gives hope to a sinner like me, that I can have a second chance at living a good, wholesome life. There are so many other examples...Moses, David, Abraham, and the list goes on and on. It was a good service.
The pastor had a few words about forgiveness during the service. I thought I was in a pretty good place with forgiving people so I nodded as he talked, agreeing with him about the importance of forgiving those we perceive have wronged us. I say that for this reason: As I sat in the pew, some quiet little voice inside me said "Forgive so and so". The name of the man or what I perceived he did to me don't matter. I hadn't thought of this man for a while. I perceived he'd done something to me in the past but never realized I hadn't forgiven him. He was forgotten to me. I didn't realize until that moment I hadn't forgiven him. So, after the service, I found a quiet place outside and prayed a prayer of forgiveness and Thanksgiving to God. I forgave him.
I felt the Holy Spirit today at church. There's no other explanation for what happened to me and whether or not I knew it, this was something inside me that was holding me back. When I left church, I found myself as I was before I bumped the beak last night...happy, at peace, and full of hope for the future!
Friends, that's another of the long reasons I go to church. There's just something special to me about my church. I just never know what I'll learn to be a better Christian or a better man. Today I learned a lot about being both!
I woke up feeling a little melancholy. Maybe it was just the weather. Maybe it was the after affects of walking nose first into the wall last night on my way to bed. I've walked down that hallway dozens of time in the dark. Usually I hit my shoulder into the little knick-knack cabinet on the wall. That I've done before but never cracked my beak into the wall. The funny thing was that I landed on the light switch right after I did it and the lights came on. I have to laugh a little bit at it and thought for sure I'd wake up with two black eyes. It was a hard hit. I didn't though. What I did get out of it is a great metaphor about being in darkness and light. I'll save it for another day.
I didn't have to force myself to services this morning. It was just kind of a ho-hum morning, but I found some slacks and a nice shirt and went to church. I'm glad I went. Here's why:
Today, I was asked to read a bible verse during the service. I'd like to share it with y'all today:
Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as
the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your
prayers. Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another, be sympathetic, love as brothers, be
compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing
1 Peter 3:7-9a
A great message for all of us as we start a new week, don't you think? Anyway, more than the bible message of the day, I'd like to share with you another reason why I go to church. Like I said, I was feeling a little blaze' about getting ready. Today was laymen's Sunday at our church. Some of the men sang a compilation of hymns during the offering. Some of us had a chance to read Bible verses the pastor asked us to read. Instead of a sermon, we talked as a congregation about some of the great men of the Bible.
One of my favorite books in the Bible is the book of Job. Job faced trial after trial and kept his faith in God. It's an amazing story of patience, of perseverance, and faith. Another favorite story of mine in the Bible is how Saul became Paul and the great works he did. Saul persecuted the early Church. Paul helped spread and grow the Church, through the forgiveness and calling of God. God didn't hold Saul's sins of the past against him, he transformed Saul into the man Paul, who would deliver the Good News to so many! This man gives hope to a sinner like me, that I can have a second chance at living a good, wholesome life. There are so many other examples...Moses, David, Abraham, and the list goes on and on. It was a good service.
The pastor had a few words about forgiveness during the service. I thought I was in a pretty good place with forgiving people so I nodded as he talked, agreeing with him about the importance of forgiving those we perceive have wronged us. I say that for this reason: As I sat in the pew, some quiet little voice inside me said "Forgive so and so". The name of the man or what I perceived he did to me don't matter. I hadn't thought of this man for a while. I perceived he'd done something to me in the past but never realized I hadn't forgiven him. He was forgotten to me. I didn't realize until that moment I hadn't forgiven him. So, after the service, I found a quiet place outside and prayed a prayer of forgiveness and Thanksgiving to God. I forgave him.
I felt the Holy Spirit today at church. There's no other explanation for what happened to me and whether or not I knew it, this was something inside me that was holding me back. When I left church, I found myself as I was before I bumped the beak last night...happy, at peace, and full of hope for the future!
Friends, that's another of the long reasons I go to church. There's just something special to me about my church. I just never know what I'll learn to be a better Christian or a better man. Today I learned a lot about being both!
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