“Back Row, left (out)”

By: John Thomas Heiligenthal

Let’s see, Church starts at 10:30 am Sunday and I get there at 10:35.  I mean come on nothing really happens for the first 10 minutes anyway.  I can sneak in the Church to my favorite seat; back row left side!  Oh perfect no one is in my seat.  Slide in and then sneak out early when the Preacher starts talking about being saved, well I think that’s what he says, I’ve never stayed around long enough to find out.

Do you know anyone like this?  Is this you?  Maybe, you don’t head to the back row or even leave early, but are you involved in your Church?  It’s so easy to go to Church, have your card “punched” then out the door and head over to lunch.  I’ve been guilty of this, head out of Church to grab good seats at the restaurant or to watch football.  People saw me at Church, so that’s all good in God’s book, right?  Psalm 100:2 ‘Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!’  Gladness in Church?  But, I just want to get in and get out and it’s Sunday, my only day off.

We feel we are doing well by attending Church weekly.  It is great, in fact we are told to gather together; Matthew 18:20 ‘For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.’  So, God is with us when we gather together, that sounds pretty amazing.  But, God gave us gifts and wants us to use them, 1 Peter 4:10 ‘As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace’.  Can you use the gifts of God at home?  Sure you can.  You can also use your gifts with other people at Church, work, home and just out and about.  We use Church to lift each other up and be there for each other.

I see many people posting about how they are doing on their diets or at the gym; they call it “Accountability Day!”  I made it to the gym 5 days in a row!  Everyone likes their posts and encourages them.  That is what the Church is for, to be around your brother and sisters in Christ and be Accountable to each other.  James 5:16 ‘Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.’  Whether or not you meet in a Church building, school, house or the park get involved with your fellow Church members and help out.

So maybe next Sunday in Church you sit on the second to last row and get a new perspective, just don’t let yourself be “left out!”

10.24.2016

*If for some reason your Church is so full and the last row is the only one to sit in, send me a picture of your over flowing Church!  I would love to see what God is doing in your Church!