Why do you go?

At camp this week the Pastor was talking about how he could not understand why people would ride a water ride with a raincoat.  He said, “Isn’t the whole point of the ride to get wet? So if you don’t want to get wet, then why ride?” I have thought a lot about that on the ride home.  It seems to me that can be used to describe the Christian Life.  We want to come to church so we can say we have been, but we want to wear our “rain coats” so we do not feel too much.  It seems like some only want to feel enough to have an opinion, but do not want God to convict them enough to have to solve the problem.  The truth is when we come into church and we put barriers between God, and us, then we have limited our self from the full experience of God’s presence.  So then just like the water ride, why do we come to church?  If we are not coming to be honest and open and lay our sins at the cross, what is the point?  If we cannot walk down the aisle of our churches, and have people come and pray beside us, then what is the point?  If it is not ok to say, “I am having a really hard time in my life”, then what is the point?  Is the point to dress up, look good, smile at your friends, and pretend life is great?  Sadly enough, I think this is where Christians are a lot of the time.  People are so scared of what people think, they miss God because in shielding themselves from people, they have also shielded themselves from God.  There are enough problems in our churches today, not to mention our own lives that should drive us face down at the altar every Sunday.  I remember this one church where people were always at the altar.  They were truly broken over things in their lives, things in others lives, and just for their church overall.  They had taken down every barrier, and let God expose their heart to his greatness.  What I always loved about that church was that no one ever prayed alone.  You see that weren’t playing church, they were being the church.

How long has it been since you have been truly broken over a situation?  This doesn’t mean being mad, angry, or frustrated but truly a godly sorrow over the situation.  How long has it been since you ventured to the altar, and expected God to meet you there?  How long since you were honest that everything is not ok in your life?  How long since you entered worship, and left a different person? How long since you have had a true humble spirit?  How long since you have allowed God to move in worship, and not constricted him by your watch?  The truth is that God does not speak to the proud or the arrogant, but waits on those who truly seek his face.

Luke 6:46 ESV “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?

In his pride the wicked does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God. Psalm 10:4

“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” (Colossians 3:1–2)

So I ask you again “Why do YOU go to church?