Now Hear This

With the exception of those who are sick and shut in, the comfort of our homes and beds on a Sunday morning is to the great displeasure of Jesus.  We have received the knowledge of the truth and have been aware of the necessity to come together for corporate worship. So, where is your sacrifice?  Is it the repositioning of the pillow for greater comfort or to pay greater attention? How is your love and good works expressed in the swelling comfort of cotton pajamas and fluffy slippers? In the solitude of your Sunday home worship, what is your encouragement to the soul who is visibly disquieted, apparently distressed, evidently despondent? Has your bereft countenance ever been raised by the hug of a child, the embrace of a forgotten saint, or the pat on the shoulder of a fellow pew partner? The experience of these will never be yours if you remain in the pseudo safety, comfort, protection, and ease of your box. Instead, you will be trained in neglect, and the fruit that is grown there is not worth sharing.

We look forward to seeing you in church this Sunday.

Prayer: Jesus, forgive us when the comfort of our flesh trumps our obedience to corporate worship! Forgive us when we err on the side of ease, busyness, and the cynical reasoning we use to not attend church. Burden our hearts to return and may we never be satisfied with giving You the least of ourselves.
By Sis. Paula Smith