I received a text message during church last week from a church member who had been forced to sit in a different spot in church. Somebody had sat in their seat! They were laughing at the irony because, like many of us going through the ‘6 Steps to Loving Your Church’ course, they knew that the assignment was to pray about where you will sit this week rather than simply going straight to your space of habit.
The course that we are moving through together is not rocket science but it does give us pause to consider what habits we get into at church and why we do them? What motivates us to be at church and what do we believe we are going to church to do? Hebrews 10:19-22 reminds us that we are cleansed by the blood of Jesus and he is our Great High Priest, therefore we do not require church to get any closer to God. Then, Hebrews 10:23-25 proceeds to remind us what the real benefit of church is – to encourage one another to hold firmly to this faith especially as the day of Christ’s return gets closer and closer. We gather together to build up one another in the faith.
It is good to cultivate good habits. Attending church regularly and consistently is a great habit. It helps us to fix our eyes upon Jesus. It gives us opportunity to encourage and serve one another. Our church services feed our hope in the resurrection. They remind us that all other ground is sinking sand.
It is a good Sunday when we find somebody sitting in our seat. That can be the first person you prayerfully encourage in our gathering that day. It is better that they are in your seat than not gathering with the Lord’s people that day.
See you in church,
Simon Twist
Acting Rector