Monday, April 6, 2009

I know this might be the most confusing thing you've ever read, but I hope it's worth it.

"Not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near" Hebrews 10:25.

I want to admit that I missed church this week, mostly cause I was lazy. And I immediately regret my decision. (That's kind of a weird side thought. Cause it wasn't really a decision, more of a forgetfulness that turned into passively neglecting to make a decision. But even the neglect to make a decision is a decision to not do what I should have done.) And once you figure out what I wrote in those parentheses, you can join me for the real topic.

I've been reading a book that makes the point that our major job as Christians is to praise God by delighting in Him. That's a good point, and I thought further that I like to praise God, so it's a nice set up that God gets praise out of something I like anyway. But then I thought further, lately, I haven't been praising God as much, or thinking about Him as much, or pursuing Him as much as I'd like. That frustrated me. Why am I having a hard time praising Someone Who is so praiseworthy, Who set up such a good system? (Still following?)

Then I thought to myself selfishly, that I couldn't wait to get home and be in a youth ministry again because it's so much easier to follow God when you are socially expected to follow God. This branched into two thoughts that are the point of this blog:

1) Being around Christians is important. We have the ability to excite each other about God. Fire breeds more fire. When I missed church due to neglect, I cheated myself out of an opportunity to be excited about God, and I stole an opportunity for God to be praised by me in a corporate setting. I don't get to go to church every week, why did I have to waste this opportinity? So pleases don't get used to it, or take for granted your ability to go to church. Not everybody can go to church, and seriously, you need to realize that it is a priviledge and go with the desire to be lit on fire and to light others on fire. Go to church.

2) I cannot wait to be home to be delighting in God. When someone loves something, they can't help but talk about it. Let's take drugs for instance. Drug addicts lie to their friends, steal, beg, or anything else undignified to get their fix. Is God not a delight way more pleasurable? It's simply that I let other stuff get in the way, and forget that God is more desireable than anything else. And that's dumb. And I need to get over it. I need to stop talking like any regular Soldier, and love God enough to stand up for Him. It's about love and passion for Him, and not guilt.

Just brainstorming. I know this might be the most confusing thing you've ever read, but I hope it's worth it.

4 comments:

JMH85 said...

Is it totally weird that I understood everything you wrote in just one read through?

Really good blog and a great reminder to all. With the availability of church in the U.S. we often take for granted our ability to go. It is not until we are taken out of our comfort zone that we become aware that being apart of such a community is a privilege and really helps us to grow in our faith. Plus it is just plain awesome to spend a moment in time to really focus on God through praise.

Unknown said...

hello. i understood it on the first read-through as well. though i am brilliant beyond all reason! it is an interesting choice to let the instantaneous comforts of sleep or anything else to get in the way of stepping into growing relationships with God and other people. why do we deny ourselves the thing we really need and give in to a lesser need instead. grossss. you know, of course, my issues with telling people to go to church. but when that is the community you have, i agree with your command!

Amy Beth @ Ministry So Fabulous! said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
abb said...

What I was trying to say in my other comment that I messed up was --

Wow. That was really good.

:)