Someone posted this on FaceBook recently: "The more you miss church, the less you miss church. Be careful." I thought of all of the sports meeting on Sundays, travel teams gone all weekends and the pandemic, families are being pulled from church. As we begin to see things open up, are people out of the habit? It is not bad things that keep us from church. It can be work, money, addictions, hobbies. I believe Satan has loved this time that many churches did not gather and people have gotten out of the habit of going to church. He likes for us to place higher priorities on other people or things over God.
We must remember in order to stay healthy, spiritually, we must have our time with God. If you are not having time to worship you are probably longing for the joy that comes from God. Nehemiah 8: 10, "Nehemiah said, 'Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.'” The Lord is our strength. We cannot go on by ourselves. John 10: 10, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." Jesus will give us a full life and we will be satisfied.
As parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc. we have a responsibility to show them, by example, what they need for their daily life. Regardless of their age. They need regular time with God and studying His Word. They need to worship with other Christians. Are we showing them that our top priority is God or sports? God or boating? God or sleeping in? Do not fall victim to the thief coming in and putting another priority over going to church on Sunday. John 10: 10, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy..." Your faith and your family will pay the price. These choices impact our children.
"The study, conducted by the Barna Research Group of Ventura, California, found that roughly seven out of ten Americans adults (71%) had a period of time during their childhood when they regularly attended a Christian church. Apparently, old habits die hard: a majority of those who attended church as a youngster still attend regularly today (61%), while a large majority of those who were not church-goers as children are still absent from churches today (78%)." Now I know times have changed but remember God and His Word remains the same. Proverbs 22: 6, "Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it." When children are raised by godly parents, they will see God’s way played out in life, year after year. When they grow up they will have a good understanding of the consequences or rewards that following God will bring.
When children go to church every week they witness lots of people bowed in worship, singing praises and giving God back what is already His, through tithing. By doing this they will grow up knowing this is where they belong on Sunday morning. They will want to raise their children, your grandchildren, in the church. So your habits have everything to do with generations to come. Joel 1: 3, "Tell it to your children, and let your children tell it to their children, and their children to the next generation." What more could a Christian parent want for their children? Ephesians 3: 21, "...to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."