Is your car on Sunday morning in the garage, out for fun and adventure or in front of your church?
A drive around the community might reveal cars at the local fast-food restaurant for breakfast. Cars at the local golf course for a round of golf or at sports field encouraging young athletes and their team. Some cars remain parked in the garage, the family enjoying a leisurely breakfast or reading the paper with a second cup of coffee. A drive around town will find cars at area churches.
It is easy to be distracted by all the choices we have on Sunday morning from a time of quiet at home, sleeping in, to the draw of a fast-food breakfast on the way to support the events of our children and grandchildren or spending leisure time at the golf course.
Yes, sometimes it seems going to church is just one more thing on the to-do list. Some Sundays the announcements take too long, the message goes over our head or puts us to sleep, or we don’t get to sing our favorite hymns. Any of that may be true, but worship isn’t about us, it is about offering praise to God, about encountering God.
As God’s people we gather, share fellowship, and encourage one another and our Triune God often shows up in unexpected ways. Sometimes on a Sunday morning God shows up in the passing of the peace as we share a firm handshake or a hug. Sometimes God shows up in the face of a toddler who is enthusiastically greeting everyone she sees.
God can speak to you through the Scripture and the pastor’s message, the songs of the service, praying for others and the world. God might just as easily speak to you through the person sitting next to you who hands you a mint when you get a tickle in your throat. Sometimes God shows up in fellowship following worship as we share coffee and treats around the table.
Post COVID many churches offer an opportunity to worship via technology. Sometimes that is necessary, however if you stay home in your pajamas and drink coffee, you won’t see that cute toddler greeting everyone, or be able to grasp the hand of your neighbor as you share the peace of Christ. From your sofa you can’t tell someone how much you’ve missed them or congratulate that young person on their recent Honor Roll recognition or helping the team get a chance at a state championship.
Not every Sunday will bring some new revelation or insight. Not every Sunday will provide a transformative change in one’s life. Not every Sunday will we soothe our fears or calm our souls. Yet it is important to gather, the author of Hebrews reminds us that we should not neglect meeting together, to assemble and encourage one another (Hebrews 10:24-25).
The effect of worship with God’s people is cumulative, like eating. We may not get our favorite food at every meal; we may not remember every meal we’ve eaten but through our lives every meal is important to our health and wellbeing. If you are not at the table, you miss out altogether.
Our God is the God of the unexpected and the Spirit is likely to move in a variety of ways as we are gathered in worship, as we pray, sing, hear God’s Word.
Remember Jesus showed up in the garden to Mary, in the upper room to Thomas and the disciples, he showed up on the road to Emmaus and on the beach in Galilee to join the disciples for breakfast. As we worship and praise God, we’re likely to encounter God in our midst in unexpected ways and experience joy in the simple pleasure of being present with the people of God.
The many stories of Jesus breaking bread with people speaks to the importance of physical and spiritual nourishment which you receive by participating in worship with your faith community. Next Sunday get the car out of the garage and head to church, it will be good for body and soul.
Word in Faith is a collaboration of Wayne Association of Congregations and Ministers (WACAM), an organization partially funded by the Wayne Community Chest.
