But the LORD God called to the man and said to him, "Where are you?"(Genesis 3:9 – ESV)
So where are you on Sunday mornings? If you aren’t in church you are in the wrong place. Like Adam and Eve you may be in the garden but when God comes looking you are hiding away. When you aren’t in church you aren’t where you are supposed to be, you are hiding out with some tree in front of you. You have gathered some leaves together to cover the fact that you are exposed, wandering and naked before God.
You cannot say that you are growing in God if you aren’t growing with a church. It is a simple observable fact that when someone is moving on with God they will be plugged in to a local body of believers. Those that are growing to love God will be growing to love God’s people. How can you say you are drawing closer to God when you are not drawing closer to those other people He has redeemed? If you are advancing in your walk with God you will find the steps to the cross lead right to your local church door.
When a man is free to choose and more often than not chooses to play instead of pray, he is exposed for the man he really is. When a man chooses to pray but never in company, when he more often than not would keep himself from the congregation instead of being a part of it, then his prayer is a reflection of his desire to have a private faith alone.
Alone, without God’s people with him. Alone, without having to deal with others and their struggles together. Alone, outside of the place where God established, the church, where we meet with God and with one another to serve each other and God. Alone. Their prayer is to be alone, and God will grant it. They will be alone.
When God comes calling in the place where He is moving, the church, He will have to ask, “Where are you?” when we all know where you ought to be. All the while thinking that you are hiding God in your heart when you are just hiding out, instead of letting the Light shine. If this is you, then the answer to the question is, “In the dark”.
5 comments:
JD, it is true we really have no excuse to forsake the assembly of the brethren. However, many times we go to church simply out of habit or peer pressure. We don't want to be singled out as a backslider.
Therefore I think we should also ask the question; "What are you doing on Friday and Saturday nights?". What we do with the time we have really says a lot about our true devotion and love (or lack) for God.
I agree...
>When you aren’t in church you aren’t where you are supposed to be, you are hiding out with some tree in front of you
On the other hand, I could be in bed. Or out fishing. I would definitely not be hiding behind a tree.
thanks for this word.
angela
You are welcome...
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