Church is an awesome place to be!!

                                                                         

My favorite day of the week is Sunday because it is a day our family gets to worship the Lord in praise and song.  Even when one has had a horrible week it is always refreshing to come to church to sing your heart out to the Lord.  You  could have been given a diagnosis of cancer just three days before, but to come to church to sing and being with other believers you  know really lifts up your spirit.

 You could have lost your job, but to be able to come to church where you can be encouraged and lifted up in prayer is something that encourages you for the new week ahead.  You could have received the bad news for your child that he has cancer, but to come to church to be with other believers is enough to lift your spirit and encourage you.

Church is where passages of life are celebrated or experienced:  marriage, baby dedication, child baptism, children's drama, youth events, graduation, funeral of parents, grandparents, and something no one wishes on anyone which is the funeral of a child.

Church is a place where friendships are developed  and where relationships blossom as we share one another's burdens. Church is the one place where we grow closer as believers as we walk with one another through the dark valleys. It is a place where we experience the transitions of life from falling in love when we are young, getting married, bringing our children to church, watching them grow, develop and move away to attend college and coming home and finding a church they can experience their transitions of life. It is a place where future generations come to know the Lord because of your commitment to God's church.

As I walked into the Sanctuary this morning I remembered all of the times when our kids were young and the times of having grandparents join us. I remember the kids choir and I remember the celebration of life service we had for our daughter, but most of all I remember that the church was the place where our children came to  love know their Savior.  It was the church that gave our family the connection and reminded our kids that God has a wonderful plan for their lives.

This morning it was an awesome experience to take communion with all the rest of the believers and to thank God for the sacrifice of His son on the cross.  When Christ went to heaven He reminded us of the importance to worship the Lord on the Sabbath.  It is His church which helps us stay strong in the Lord.

Finally, when we worship God in the church we are experiencing a little glimpse of what it will be like to worship God in heaven and to fellowship with other believers. A very small glimpse because we probably cannot imagine what the real thing is going to be like, other than looking at a  Thomas Kincaid painting with all of it's rich bright colors, until our earthly existence comes to an end and the Lord  gives us a hug and says "well done my good and faithful servant, you're home now!"