Because I ache

I am just aching today.  I can’t explain it.  Sometimes my heart and my mind get confused.  But there is a deep ache in my soul.

You ever experience that?  An ache deep down that you can’t always make sense out of that doesn’t seem to go away?  Sometimes it’s difficult to sort out whats going on?

I feel that ache.  In it I suppose is a longing for Jesus to just bring justice to the earth.  To make things right again.

But I know a part to that ache is pastoral.  There are many people I need to call and ask what’s going on with them.  I have made some of those calls, but frankly its overwhelming to make all the calls I need to make.  It hurts too bad.  Every call seems to cause more pain and so basically I take a break and stop calling and put my thoughts here, on the internet.

I just read about Justin Bieber and his silly taco analogy.  He said something about how going to church doesn’t make you a Christian anymore than going to taco bell makes you a taco.  It’s silly, but that’s the way many people feel.  I know.  I know because there are many who say they are a part of our church who rarely come.

Earlier this year I sent a letter challenging people to give three hours a week to church.  That could be small group time, volunteer time, worship time, etc.  And while many people have responded to that and it has made my heart very happy to see it, some have declined from attending much at all.

Because being at taco bell doesn’t make us a taco.  I know.  Oh Justin, I know.

But the truth is there is a dull ache in all of us.  Most people I know struggle with some sort of depression.  If not clinical depression its the occasional blues that hit us for some reason.  I know others who are always “ready to go” but even in the midst of that there is longing for something better than what “is” right now.  we ache for something more.

That “something more” can be found in the the missing connection with God and with community.

We weary souls seek to bury the ache.  We hide away from the community and the God who can meet us where we need it.  We busy ourselves with things that are passing away when we need to come to the fount of hope and drink deep from the mysteries of the triune God who calls us home.  We desperately need to stand in the midst of other people and sing loudly of the glory of God and the hope of Christ.

Dear ones, please for the sake of my own heart and yours, come and drink.  Come to the fountain of hope that will meet all of our needs.  I don’t care if all you can do is limp in on a Sunday morning for an hour. Bring your crutches and shuffle into the doors.

This building is just a building.  We seek to maintain it, but only because of the community that assembles to worship a risen savior each week.  What we really need is to be a part of that community.  What we need is the word of God that echoes around the walls and falls on our desperate ears each week.  What we need is the people who limp in and sit shoulder to shoulder with us while we try to find the Spirit of God among us.

We are a people who are desperately seeking hope.  I believe it is found in the worship of the one true king.  It is found in the worship our hearts were made for.  I want you to have more, but if all you can muster to do is a weekly worship service, please for the sake of all that is holy, come.  Come and drink, come and worship, come and hear.