DYNAMICS OF THE CHURCH LOVE STORY

So you have been eyeing that velvet chair for some weeks; its rich color and soft foam have been calling your name since! You have watched its past occupants bounce for about three times before finally settling into the seat. “Me too, I’ll bounce some”, you thought to yourself. On that Sunday, you donned your best attire; and in high spirits, made your way towards “your” seat. After your fourth step, you stopped in your tracks. You realized that ushers danced people to their seats (it was as if everyone had a personal escort.) Where was your own escort? “Ah well,…” You made your way past the ushers towards your desired seat nonetheless.

One usher noticed you from afar, tiptoed behind you just in time, before your behind hit the seat and tapped you gently on the shoulder with a smile; one which told you that the seat you were about to occupy was not yours. “You failed to usher me in when I entered, now you want to prevent me from sitting on my preferred seat” you thought to yourself with an intent look that conveyed your thought to her. She nevertheless motioned you to another seat; one you would never sit on, even if it was labelled as VIP. Not that the seat was bad; but you just didn’t like that spot in the auditorium. You moved to your designated position, crestfallen. Your hatred for the innocent usher grew stronger as the service proceeded. Plans to leave the church and never return crowded your mind so much that you missed the sermon, which would have been of great benefit to you in the days ahead.

This, among other trivial things broke your heart consistently and eventually chased you out of the church. You thought of the church as an ungrateful lover you did virtually everything for, that left you heartbroken. You felt the church didn’t do the things you expected of her, even those she promised to do. “After all I can do well all by myself” your ego whispered.

Real Commitment to the church goes beyond personal emotions and expectations. Many of us treat the church with a consumer mentality-looking for the best product for the price of our Sunday mornings.

For some, the idea of committing (or recommitting) stirs up unpleasant feelings and memories. You may think you are doing just fine on your own, but you can’t navigate the Christian journey alone. You need fellowship. (Acts 2:42; Hebrews 10:25) Christian fellowship is one of the signs of a true believer. If you think you are doing fine by yourself and are exercising your faith in isolation, you are being prideful. This is not even about “attending” church or “being present at church functions”. It is about having the desire to know God more, by learning from other believers, strengthening each other’s faith by sharing the word of God and testimonies, and fulfilling the “one another commandments”; i.e. loving one another (John 13:34), serving one another (Galatians 5:13), encouraging one another (1 Thessalonians 5:11) and being kind and compassionate to one another (Ephesians 4:32). We are called the body of Christ for a reason. We are to be united in purpose. It is this unity that will keep us accountable, in the long run.
“Without the God-given habit of corporate worship and the God-given mandate of corporate accountability, we will not prove faithful over the long haul.” – Kevin DeYoung.

God is calling us to be a part of a bigger family. As we become genuinely involved in the church and its work in the world, we put ourselves in the best place possible to allow God to do His work in us. This is because the church is God’s greenhouse for us to flourish spiritually. It is here that God grows us and conforms us to the image of Christ.

Aside being the place to grow and be conformed, it is THE place where we are transformed and strengthened by the truth from the Word; where we can be most certain that we are investing our time and abilities for eternity, where we can grow in our roles as friends, sons and daughters, husbands and wives, fathers and mothers. In the words of Joshua Harris, it is “THE FATHER’S ONLY PLACE, EARTH’S SINGLE BEST PLACE, and GOD’S SPECIALLY DESIGNED PLACE to start over”.
“Your life is bigger than a good job, an understanding spouse, and a non-delinquent child. It is more than beautiful gardens, nice vacations, fashionable clothes, and a beautiful relationship with people around you. In reality, you are a part of something immense, something that began before you were born and will continue after you die. God is rescuing fallen humanity, transporting them into His kingdom, and progressively shaping them into His likeness- and HE WANTS YOU TO BE A PART OF IT.”, Paul David Tripp writes to Christians.

You have seen a church been torn apart by greed, arrogance, pride or lack of integrity; and any talk about commitment makes you want to puke. You do not want to give your heart and get it broken again. Unfortunately, the church has become like that lover you’d have to learn to forgive more than once. The prospects of falling in love are risky; but therein lies its beauty . Fall in love with the church, and feel the deep and wholehearted passion that comes with being committed to the body of Christ. Dare to fall in love once more; because Jesus still calls you His bride.

Image: Google.com

Inspiration: “Stop Dating The Church! Fall In Love With The Family Of God” by Joshua Harris