Merry Not Mundane

As a mom I could get our house ready, without stress, five days a week, to go to school and work but Sunday mornings were always stressful!  I quickly learned it is Satan not wanting us to go to worship!  Think about it - isn’t Sunday morning harder?  I started recognizing it for what it was and then I was more determined to get there on time, stress free!

For years, my mom served in the prayer room during church and she always prayed for those  running late and for those trying to find a parking space. They prayed for people not to get discouraged and come on to worship.  During the Christmas season we will have more visitors looking for parking places and seats. This can be very stressful for visitors and especially for those who have never been to church.  It would not take much for some people to turn around!  And if they do, I doubt they will come back.  Romans 15: 7, “So warmly welcome each other into the church, just as Christ has warmly welcomed you; then God will be glorified.”  Let’s merrily greet them and thank them for coming.  Say, “I hope to see you again.”  Chances are, we will. 

Paul’s teaching shows us that we are glorifying God by welcoming one another as Christ has already welcomed us!  As Christians we have a responsibility at church to be welcoming. Again in Matthew 25: 35, “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in...”  One of the biggest reasons visitors do not return to a church is that they do not feel welcome.  We should welcome visitors into our church home like we would welcome someone into our home.  We should be excited to be in the House of God.  

Let’s be merry, not mundane!