Attend Church - Check!

Why Attend Church?

Today, my devotional reading is from 2 Kings 4. In the story, a Shunammite woman was barren and the prophet Elisha interceded with God for her. A year later, she bore a son but while still a young child, he died.

One very interesting phrase from the story stuck in my mind. The woman spoke to her husband about going to visit Elisha, the man of God. Since the husband was not aware that their son had died, he asked his wife, “Why go to him today? It’s not the New Moon or the Sabbath.” To which his wife replied, “It’s all right.” (See 2 Kings 4:22,23.)

The husband’s comments sound amazingly similar to contemporary questions of WHY anyone would attend church if it was not for some special circumstance?

It occurred to me that there are some general reasons why people attend church:

1. Special Holidays & Events. That was evidently the husband’s reasoning (“It’s not the New Moon.”) Today, we often see dramatic increases in attendance at church on both Easter & Christmas. Some people only attend on those days – and for weddings and funerals.
2. Weekly Scheduled Services. The husband also referred to the “Sabbath” as a logical reason for visiting the man of God. Until around the 1950′s, church attendance was recognized in the USA (and many other countries) as a normal responsibility. But in modern times, there does not seem to be such a requirement. Even those who DO attend the weekly services still may not be there for true worship.
3. Times of Great Need. The mother in our story needed the man of God – not for a funeral – but for new life! She reported (both ti her husband and Elisha’s servant), “It is all right.” But Elisha recognized that she was in “bitter distress.” When Elisha went to the child and prayed, the Lord brought new life to the child (see v.35). It is not uncommon that those who are in great need will call upon God. In any given congregation, a large portion are likely experiencing something that they consider “bitter distress.”
4. Time of Celebration. The final reason for church attendance seems to be the best. When we compare the picture of the mother holding Elisha’s feet in distress (verse 27) to her celebration at his feet (verse 37), we can better understand that true worship is the celebration of the great and wonderful works of God.

So, will you be attending church today (or soon)? WHY?

When reading the story of the widow and the oil in 2 Kings 4:1-7, I observed some very powerful principles. I used those principles in a sermon titled, “What do you have?”

Here are the key points:

1. I have something
2. I must anticipate blessing
3. I must commit everything
4. I have more than enough

1. The widow felt that she had nothing. When Elisha asked her, she said, “Your servant has nothing there at all.” Then she added “except a little oil.” Some people tend to keep a “victim” mentality and feel that they are abused and short-changed in everything. But the reality is that we do have SOMETHING! It may be small and insignificant, but we have something.

• God never asks for more than we have
• If we only have a little, then God does not require much
• The question is not “What can you GET?” Rather, it is “What do you HAVE?”

God wants us to count our blessings instead of our battles. He does not call those who are equipped, He equips those He calls! Moses felt that he was incapable of facing pharaoh & the children of Israel. But God said, “What is that in your hand?” and it miraculously was changed into a snake which later became a sign to everyone that God was directing the events.

The “little oil” that seemed so improbable as a means of saving her sons, became the instrument of their salvation. Likewise, God wants to take the insignificant things in our lives and transform them into the solution to our problems. Read the rest of this entry »