Naturally, when Christians come together they meet not God but each other. They were raised in twelve years or so of the school-type atmosphere, so they’re used to assembling in a school-type manner…
Maybe because of this, many Christians never worship. They spend their lives in horizontal activities: Sunday School classes, women’s meetings, home Bible studies, even church services… They learn to know about God, but they never learn to know God. Direct contact with Him may never have been provided for or encouraged by their churches.
What if your birthday were coming up and your friends announced they were giving you a party. You eagerly anticipated it–but finally, when the party time actually came, they never noticed you. You were off in a corner, and they talked about you as if you weren’t even there! …They were just using the occasion…as an excuse to get together and enjoy one another.
Do you suppose that’s the way God feels every week? Many Christians seem to use church services to talk some about Him but mostly as an excuse to enjoy one another.
from Up with Worship
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Gender-less version:
Naturally, when Christians come together they meet not God but each other. They were raised in twelve years or so of the school-type atmosphere, so they’re used to assembling in a school-type manner…
Maybe because of this, many Christians never worship. They spend their lives in horizontal activities: Sunday School classes, women’s meetings, home Bible studies, even church services… They learn to know about God, but they never learn to know God. Direct contact with God may never have been provided for or encouraged by their churches.
What if your birthday were coming up and your friends announced they were giving you a party. You eagerly anticipated it–but finally, when the party time actually came, they never noticed you. You were off in a corner, and they talked about you as if you weren’t even there! …They were just using the occasion…as an excuse to get together and enjoy one another.
Do you suppose that’s the way God feels every week? Many Christians seem to use church services to talk some about God but mostly as an excuse to enjoy one another.
from Up with Worship