Where were you?
Where were you on Christmas Eve? Were you with your family celebrating the holiday? Were you out on the town partying? Were you alone in your house sad and depressed? Were you celebrating the holiday alone? Were you finishing your decorating?
Where were you on Christmas Eve night? Did anything change from your day? Did you travel to a different location? Did you huddle down for a movie? Did you get all dressed up for a fancy party? Did you go to church?
Where were you on Christmas morning? Did you run downstairs to see what Santa brought? Did you huddle in your Christmas pajamas for a family photo? Did you pack the car to go to grandma or grandpas? Did you wake up sad because you were all alone? Did you get dressed up for church?
Where were you when you celebrated the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ?
I missed so many of you at church. Christmas morning and Easter morning always seemed to be filled with big wonderful music! This year was so sad for both. There were no trumpets no horns of any kind, there were no big voices singing joy and praise for either happening! Christmas morning was so quiet and calm. There were 60 people in a room meant to fill over a hundred. I was not able to feel the Christian love, every was so far apart you couldn’t hear the others singing. Where was the jubilee? Where was the loud praise? The True Hope was born! Where were you?
I had a great Christmas eve and Christmas day. I spent it with my family. We spent time at church. That’s where I was. I am sad I didn’t see you there. I am sad I couldn’t hear your voice singing praise to our God. I am sad so many people were not there, in church.
Where were you? That is the question that came into my head when Church started Christmas Day morning. Where were you? As I looked around the sanctuary I became so sad and confused. Where were you? The choir was so small and far apart from each other. There were no brass instruments or any horns. Where were you? The pews were so empty. The few who did attend were so far away from each other. Where were you?
I am done saying “the day when we all come together again will be a glorious day.” That day needs to be now. The fear the devil has put in our heads NEEDS to leave. The fear the devil has placed in our communities, families, countries, all NEEDS to be extinguished. The devil is showing his hand, do you see it? Are your eyes open to seeing the devil working so hard? Let me give you an example; where were you on Christmas? Did you ever go into Church? If you say no and your reason was the virus, there is your example. Since when does a virus keep the world from gathering on Christmas day? Since when does an illness keep families away for months on end?
Are you ready?
God could take you home in 5 minutes, he could take you home in 2 hours he could take you home tomorrow. How have you stayed away from your family, your friends, YOUR GOD for so long? Worshiping at home is not the same as worshiping in the sanctuary with your brothers and sisters in Christ. The fear needs to go before we all regret not seeing our grandmother on Christmas. Before we regret not inviting a friend to church because you aren’t wanting to go to church. The fear is driving families apart, it is driving friends to fight, it is driving people away from God. Don’t put your trust in a piece of cloth. It will do nothing for you. Putting your trust in an almighty God? Now that will do a lot for you.
Take the fear the devil has placed in your brain and push it aside by waking up and seeing that God has your life in His hands. He is in control of everything. The devil’s power is strong, BUT God’s is so much stronger. God can bring you home to eternal life, He can also send you into eternal fire, pain, agony.
Where were you on Christmas? Did you worship, praise, or thank the LORD for all He has done for you? Did you thank God for sending His son from a virgin to die FOR YOU? Did you welcome the Holy Spirit into your heart? Where were you?
Where were you? Where do you want to be? Whose side do you want to stand by? I want God to be standing by me keeping the devil away. I want to stand by God.
I want to go to Church
A few weeks ago I had a really bad weekend. I was debating if I should go to church Sunday morning or watch a service online. I prayed about it before going to bed and I kept thinking about it overnight. I had so many dreams saying to go to church so I did. I was so disappointed. I was ready and needing a full law and gospel sermon, I got a history lesson. I was in desperate need of calling out to God and hearing Him. I felt like no matter how loud I was or how intently I listened we couldn’t hear each other. I felt like there was a screen between us, where we could get bits and pieces but couldn’t really hear each other. I was in church and I started to cry because I couldn’t feel God in His house, surrounded by brothers and sisters in Christ. I wasn’t comfortable with a mask on my face hiding from God, I wasn’t comfortable with the fear that was clouding the building.
I started to cry because I couldn’t reach my God. Because the devil had taken his stand and was winning the battle. I went home very upset and disappointed. I turned on a church that I have found over the fall and watched their live service. It was better, it wasn’t perfect but I could hear God and I felt He could hear me. This happened weeks ago and it still has me shaking. I don’t feel like I can talk to the pastor about what happened, I don’t feel like I can talk to other churchgoers of that church.
I don’t feel comfortable at church. You don’t either? Where are you? Do you not feel comfortable because you are scared of getting sick or because everyone is hiding their face or because you can’t hear God? For me, it is the last two.
