FAITHFULNESS

365 Days of Thanksliving — Day 189

For many Americans, Sunday is a “fun day”—a day of rest, but also a day of play. For some, perhaps it’s the only day they have in a week to get the shopping and chores done, and their priorities naturally center around that. And then there are those who work many weekends, Sundays included. I used to be one of those, and by the time I got off work after a 10-hour midnight shift, I was too pooped to worship.

 

For a shrinking population, though, Sunday is still church day. It's a day to be reminded of God’s grace, mercy, and love in His presence, and honestly, to show their gratitude for the new lease on life they’ve been given. And for that, I’m quite grateful.

 

Christendom, for many Westerners, is an individualistic religion, but I’m not sure it was ever meant to be practiced in isolation. Yet, this morning, as I gazed out onto our congregation—even amid the early summer months when attendance across the hemisphere takes a dive—I greeted many friends whose faces regularly appear on Sundays. They don’t come to hear me, per se. At least, I wouldn’t think so, for I’m not the intended center of attention. They come to worship God in all His fullness. And for that too, I am thankful.

 

Instead of settling for comfortable Christianity or cultural Christianity (where someone believes they’re a Christian simply because they were baptized and think they’re "good to go" with God), these folks gather because they truly love the Lord and enjoy being in each other’s company. And for that also, I am grateful.

 

If you’re picking up on a theme, I suppose it’s glaringly obvious. Today, I’m deeply grateful for the many men, women, and children who gather with me more Sundays than not—not because they have to, but because they want to.

 

They could easily stay in bed, hitting the snooze until they’re good and ready. They could easily jump out of bed, stay in their jammies, and immediately drive to the big box store or grocer, hoping to get a jump on the crowds before the roads get too crazy. They could have easily just stayed at home, done some chores, played on their phones, and done whatever their hearts pleased... BUT instead, they choose to be intentional and to worship the Lord in community.

 

For the faithful men and women in my congregation, in my town, in my state, nation, and world, I am thanking the Lord today. These are the folks I firmly believe make Jesus grin from ear to ear, and the ones He can’t wait to embrace. I wish there were more of the faithful in our nation (as there once was). Times have changed, and so have the numbers of the faithful.

 

But this I know: there will always be a remnant of the faithful in our nation, and in our world. And of those, I am privileged to look upon their faces most weekends—to greet them, shake hands, give high fives, and genuinely share in God’s love.

 

To all of you who are faithful, I thank God for you. You, in part, are the reason I do what I do; and to God, I am incredibly grateful I get to spend time with you.