Church

As I've been back in the States these past few weeks, I've been realizing more and more how much I take church for granted. You show up every Sunday morning (after having spent half the morning looking for something clean and nice to wear), you smile and greet everyone, you sing some, you listen to the sermon, and you go home. And then it happens next week.

But I've been seeing how much I need that time. That fellowship is precious. The words in the sermon should be impacting my life. Those songs are meant for me to be worshiping God.

I just spent 5 weeks in a country where I can't understand the language. I think I only attended one church service in English. Man, I used to take church so for granted! But now I've seen what it's like to attend a church service where you can't understand a word of what's being said. I've seen villages where there is no church yet. Where the people don't meet regularly. They don't sing songs. They don't hear a sermon every week. It's so incredibly difficult to be one of the only English speakers for miles around. You start to miss the fellowship of other believers and crave the words spoken by an English-speaking pastor.

I don't ever want to take the church for granted. Ever. Sure, it's got its problems. But it's the body of Christ, and it's a valuable part of the life of a believer.

That said, I'm so grateful for my home church. It's been so encouraging getting to see those who are praying for me and supporting me. I've missed all of them! And, as I've been seeing more and more, I never want to take them for granted!