Picking A Supermarket
You may find people who are not dedicated to one but float between the two supermarkets.
Reference: v.8
But I am like an olive tree
flourishing in the house of God;
I trust in God’s unfailing love
for ever and ever. (TNIV Bible)
Explore: There are two different supermarkets in the shopping centre near my home. When the topic comes up I will often ask people which supermarket they shop at. Both shops provide the same produce however often people will be set on going to one over the other. People choose one because the car parking is better and its closer to other shops they go to frequently. Others will choose the other one because you don’t need coins to use their trolleys and their bakery section is better. But then you have other people who float between the two supermarkets. They’re not particularly dedicated to either one but just attend whichever works at the time.
Application: I find that some people treat their church attendance like their supermarket shopping. There are some people who are totally committed to their place of worship however there are others who just pop into whichever church they feel they want to at the time. Maybe there is a church that is closer to their home that they go to when they can’t be bother traveling so far or a church they grew up in even though they’re not really passionate about it any more. Those that get the most out of their worship experience are those who commit themselves deeply into a church. They attend regularly, they prioritize it’s activities and they give the church their time and money. When you dig yourself into a church then you are able to really become a part of the community and find more ways of how you can serve others. A church is not like a supermarket that is there only to serve you. But when we dig ourselves completely into a church then we are able to grow stronger as well as helping others to grow too.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for communities of believers where we can gather and learn more about You. Help us to commit completely to our places of worship so that we may be able to serve You more fully. Amen.
What are the strengths of your church? How can you dig yourself deeper into the church?
This article was written by Linda Bailey
Linda started theological studies in 1999 in Australia. After working for ten years in various church ministries, she now works as the breakfast producer at 89.9 LightFM - the Christian radio station in Melbourne, Australia. She writes blogs every day about passages she is currently reading in the Bible. Follow her on Google Plus +Linda Bailey or Facebook by clicking the like button on the right of this page.