Why Go to Church?


Yesterday, as I spent a very, hot afternoon in my church attic going through luau props for children's church, I started thinking about the whys.  Why do I spend so much time working on children's church?  Why do I search the internet for hours for ideas to engage youth?  Why do I show up hours before church to pray and practice?  Now, don't get me wrong.  I was not having a time of complaint.  I am very thankful that I can serve God in a lot of different ways.  It was more a time of introspection.  Were my motives pure?  Last Wednesday, as I spoke to the youth group, I mentioned motivations.  Why do we go to church?  The youth talked about friendships, hanging out, and helping.  I challenged them. As you can see in my picture, I like to visit a certain store that shall remain nameless.  I go there for groceries.  When I was in college, my friends and I would go there because it was the only store open past ten.  We would play in the toy department until they ran us off.  When I was a stay-at-home mother of four children under the age of five years old, I went to Walmart so that I could carry on a conversation with an adult.  Others in my check-out line probably hated me.  Now, I do not go to the grocery store to talk to people.  I go to buy groceries.  I may meet people I know and have a good conversation, but that is a bonus, not why I go.  I go to my cellular service store to take care of my cell phone, not discuss politics.  I go to the pharmacy to buy medication.  So why do I go to church?  I go to church because I love God and want to spend time with Him.  I worship Him at church because He is faithful.  I serve Him at church because He loves the youth, children, and adults.  If He loves them, then I want to help people He loves.  I go to church because I love God.  Now, one of the nice bonuses of going to church is that I get to meet great people and make friendships, but I don't go to church because of the people.  I go because of God.  So what happens when someone hurts my feelings or upsets me?  If I go to church because of the people, then I would find a new church.  But if I go to church because of God, then whether someone hurts me or not will not move me.   God has not changed, upset me, or hurt me, so I continue to go because of Him.  Also, because He loves my brother who hurt me and I love Him, this will inspire me to make sure my relationships are reflecting God's love. So while I sweated in the attic, I smiled.  I was doing exactly what I wanted to do.  I was at church because I love God.

 Have a great week high-heeled warriors!

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