Jonas asked me to ride with him this past week, an opportunity that I jumped on because I enjoy checking cattle on horseback almost as much as I enjoy preaching! And I don’t get to ride near as much as I get to preach!
As I was riding along taking in all the sounds, sights and smells I got to thinking about how many times I’ve heard people say, “I don’t need no church to worship God! I can look at the beautiful things that God made and be right next to Him out here in nature!” And while this is all so very true, we don’t need a church to worship God, we need THE church to truly know His heart. You see, the church isn’t a building. The church is the people that use that building. The Bible calls the people that use the building the bride of Christ. Ephesians 5:25 says, “Husbands love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her.” Christ’s bride is the church! Christ loves you and me with all of our faults and sins because we are His bride!
Ok preacher, what are you getting at? What does this have to do with me coming to church instead of communing with nature? Well everything actually! Think about it, if you are horseback all alone or hiking by yourself or even if you’ve stayed at home and are reading the Greatest Book, the Bible, how are you putting it into practice? Sure, you may be dealing with a hard headed horse or a witchy old cow, but is there a human that is maybe rubbing you the wrong way and MAKING you put His word into practice, namely, love your neighbor as yourself? Is there a cow (bovine) that is telling you what kind of person you are or are not? Most likely no. See, we need each other to rub off the rough edges and to make us more like Jesus. “He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth (Isaiah 53:7 NIV).” Jesus couldn’t do that from His throne in Heaven. He had to come to the Earth and rub shoulders with imperfect people to get that done. And He loved them anyway, no matter what they said or did or how they acted. He loved them.
So, next time you come to church and you see someone acting like the world, just remember Jesus loves them anyway. Remember, you can’t love Jesus and hate His bride.
You pray for me and I’ll pray for you. Naomi and I love you all.