Have you heard that saying, “You don’t know what you have until it’s gone� Between playing nurse to the various germs infecting the members of our household, and our once-a-month stints in the nursery, I’ve made it to a grand total of three church services in the past eight weeks. Sad. Very sad.
Hebrews 10:24-25 tells us,
“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.†(ESV)
“Church†was never intended to be an individual activity. It is through that coming together, as a corporate body, and worshiping our Lord that we are able to “stir up one another,†and “encourage one another.â€Â Yes, these forms of fellowship can (and should) take place outside the walls of the church building. But, the church was designed for the exhortation, instruction, and growth of the believer. This happens, not only through the teaching that comes from the pulpit, but also from our interaction with other believers. When we neglect, or forsake (sometimes, you just have to like how direct the King James Version is!), that habit of coming together as a corporate body, we are missing out on an important part of our growth as believers.Â
In college chapel services, we used to sing a song based on these verses.  And, I remember a friend getting rather frustrated with students who would close their eyes and sing this song as a prayer…She was absolutely right!  That song should have been sung looking one another in the eye while singing it – exhorting each other to do exactly what these verses are calling us to do.
Over the last 2 months, I have been extremely thankful for the internet, and podcasting, because that has been my only source of “church†for the majority of this year. Our church has been going through a study of the book of Proverbs.  I am thankful to be able to keep up via cyberspace, as each new sermon is posted. (Unfortunately, I have also been missing Jason’s teaching on the Life of Christ in our Sunday school class, and that one isn’t available online!!)
Even though the online sermons have been a great alternative to missing out altogether, they just aren’t the same. Since we are still trying to rid Hannah of this lingering cough, it was looking like I would once again be absent this last Sunday morning. So, Jason and I decided to take advantage of our church’s Saturday evening service, and we were actually able to go to church together for a change! Generally speaking, I am not a fan of Saturday evening services (but that is another post). But, personal preference aside, I was quite thankful for the Saturday evening service this weekend. It was wonderful to be a part of all that church is…to be a part of the singing, to hear the sermon – and be able to see the pastor giving it, and to be surrounded by, and interact with other believers.Â
Maybe these things seem trivial. But, I don’t think they are. I do think that I have taken them for granted in the past. I hope that will not be the case in the future. I don’t want it to take being removed from the fellowship and ministries of the church in order to understand what an incredible blessing it is!!