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Monday, July 19, 2010

a good day at church indeed

About a month ago, our church was doing a project we called 'God's Hands'. Each night after our work was done, we met at the church for an amazing dinner perpared by our food crew and then we had a glorious time of worship.

My daughter, Megan, was just a few days away from Silas' birth at that time and she wasn't feeling well, so she and her 3 children came to spend the night as her husband was in Arkansas working. I had just come in from the work we were doing, so Megan and I gathered up the kiddos and we all headed over to the church to eat.  

We had a great time in fellowship and enjoyed a really great dinner and then we let the kids play for a little while with the other children that were there. Afterwards, I went back to the house with her to help her get the children ready for bed before I headed back to the church for worship. So basically, we had just gone to church and eaten and played and then headed home.

As we left the church, Eli was just bouncing along the sidewalk in a great mood and he looked back at me and said in a very serious and enthusiastic voice,

 "Now THAT was a good day at church!"

Of course, we got a good laugh at that, but the sad thing is that this reflects the attitudes of many christians these days. We go to church hungry for the wrong kind of food. We go to church wanting to be fed and entertained. We go to the Lord's house and want to be coddled and pampered. And then we consider that to be a 'good day at church'.

We actually do need to arrive at our place of worship hungry. Hungry for the Word. Hungry for the Bread of Life. Hungry for an almighty encounter with God.

"For He satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness." (Psalm 107:9)

Our spiritual lives can only grow and become richer in Christ if we are feeding ourselves the powerful and mighty Word of God. The God-inspired and God-breathed, inerrant Word of our Lord.

It is our responsibility to dig deeper into His Word and discover all that He has for us. It's up to us to search the scriptures diligently and eagerly so we can receive that which God has to offer.

We have to feed ourselves. We have to be desiring more than just entertainment. It's about being hungry with an insatiable appetite for MORE of God. MORE of His Word. MORE of Him. It's about a deeply personal and intimate relationship with our Lord. It's about an awesome encounter with our Savior.

It's all about seeking Him

Searching
Expecting
Encountering
Knowing

As we enter into His House to worship, we arrive hungry for Him and everything that He has for us to receive. Hungry to then give back to Him in our worship and our praise.

We leave filled with His Spirit and satisfied on the bread of His Word, broken and dispersed to our hungry souls.

Now, THAT is a good day at church!!


15 comments:

Beth E. said...

"It is our responsibility to dig deeper into His Word and discover all that He has for us. It's up to us to search the scriptures diligently and eagerly so we can receive that which God has to offer.

We have to feed ourselves. We have to be desiring more than just entertainment. It's about being hungry with an insatiable appetite for MORE of God. MORE of His Word. MORE of Him. It's about a deeply personal and intimate relationship with our Lord. It's about an awesome encounter with our Savior.

It's all about seeking Him"


Amen, Beth...this says it all!

Blessings,
Beth E.

Nancy M. said...

So true!

Dontmissyoursunsetlady said...

Amen Beth! The Lord showed something similar to me today! Thank you for sharing!

Jennifer @ JenniferDukesLee.com said...

Ah yes ... That we would all recognize Jesus as the main course -- the Living Water and the Bread of Life.

Thank you, Beth.

Nana Jul said...

All I can say is AMEN sweet Sista!
Wow...how timely!
Love,
Julie

Unknown said...

You always hit me in the heart.


Thank you

Dawning Inspiration said...

Good reminder to get my tushy in the chair at church.

Yolanda said...

I get such joy out of the way God gets our attention through young children, the elderly, girlfriends, strangers on the street, and His creation.

a good day at church indeed!

Love,
Yolanda

Megan said...

Very true! :-) Thanks for sharing!

Blessings,
Maggie
www.foreverfindingmybliss.blogspot.com

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

This is something to remember. Church isn't a place of entertainment, but a place of worship.

Blessings,
Lyn

Denise J. Hughes said...

Love this! It's so true. This is a great reminder that I need to go to church with a spiritual hunger. Great post!

Deb said...

"It's about being hungry with an insatiable appetite for MORE of God. MORE of His Word. MORE of Him."

Yes, sweet girl, that's exactly what our relationship with Him is all about.

I needed to hear this message.

Sweet dreams.

Janettessage.blogspot.com said...

I love when I get to the service after a full week of feeding myself and the sermon is a confirmation of what God had been showing me...even down to scriptures. I really feel that is what it was meant to be...but I have to say I am the lazy one and only experience that total fulfillment when I have already met Him all week.

I remember when our son was small and we were driving to church and he said, "what are we doing? We all ready know about Jesus...it is those at home today that don't. We need to stop and tell them about Jesus." Out of the mouths of babes.

Nancy said...

A good day at church is when I am able to totally focus on Him in praise, sermon, and even in ministering. It isn't always this way, but when it is, that's a great day at church.

A Stone Gatherer said...

A very hearty AMEN AND AMEN to that Beth! We need to hunger and thirst after God! Sadly alot of those within the church today want neither!