Well, we've established why I don't go to church: church isn't the most conducive place for me to worship, I'm not even resting just sitting there, and I don't even get a shopping list written out of the deal. So, why do I go? Mindy touched on where I am going with this: I go to be with my family. No, I don't have one person that lives in my town that is blood relation. But my church is my family. The crazies, the lovelies, the sad and the happy are all my family. Some of those people I have NOTHING in common -- other than the biggest commonality of all: the One we allow to Lord our lives.
Scripture is full of the ways that the Lord never intended us to trudge this ball of dirt alone. Starting with creation, when he made Adam: The LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him." (Genesis 2:18) Jesus knew he shouldn't do ministry alone, and gathered 12 men around him. Of those 12, he had 3 men he drew closer still. In Acts, the disciples 'partnered up' to go tell the world of Jesus Christ.
Sometimes when I go to church I am able to be there FOR other people -- a listening ear, encouraging word, hug or smile, or just a "Hey! I've been missing you!" Any of those things that my brothers and sisters may need from their family. Other times I may go because I need those same things FROM my family. Sometimes I go when I just want to be left alone and would really rather not be there -- but a touch or smile from someone else makes me glad I went.
I go to church to BE church: to love and receive, to comfort and connect, "Jesus with skin on". Sometimes I go to church to RECEIVE the church: to be loved and be received, to be comforted and feel connected, to hug a "Jesus with skin on". And THAT, is how I worship when I go to the church building:
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Romans 12:1
