Volley #25

Experiencing the Holy

Why do you keep coming to church?
In years past, social pressure was a motivator. There were business or professional contacts to make. The sense of duty was strong. On Sunday morning, practically no one worked, and there was little else to do. I still remember the day the sheriff of my county marched the manager of K-Mart off to jail for opening on Sunday! Such considerations just don’t apply anymore.
We still have friends at church, and we look forward to spending time with them there. Worship can be uplifting, instructive, enjoyable, and entertaining. But when we get to the heart of it, those are not the things that bring us to church, at least not for the long run.
We come to church, and others will be drawn to do so with us, because there we meet God. When we plan our worship, prepare our sermons, select our hymns, and design our special liturgies, this is what we need to keep in mind. We are creating space and time for the people of God to experience the holy.
Wouldn’t most people keep coming back for that?