Do You Attend Church?
And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. – Hebrews 10:24-25.
Church attendance has not always been a priority in my life. I had many excuses as to why I didn’t attend. I liked to sleep in on Sunday. Sometimes Sunday was my only day off. Sometimes I was working on Sunday. Sunday was a day I could have some quality time with my family. You’ve heard it all before and we continue to hear the same excuses today.
I’m not sure how God was able to get my attention. But finally, I came to a place in my life that I needed God. If I needed God, then church must be included in the equation because church is God’s idea. I made a commitment that I was going to be in church for every service unless I was providentially hindered. In other words, I no longer waited until Sunday morning to make the decision as to whether or not we were going to church. We were going to church unless something very major stopped us from going. I’ve never, ever, regretted that decision.
I’ve always felt like I have benefited from attending church. Recently there was a study published revealing that people who attend church regularly have a longer life expectancy. The life expectancy at the age of twenty for those who regularly attend church was found to be 60.1 more years (Live to the age of 80.). This is compared to those who didn’t attend church who at the age of twenty had a life expectancy of 46.4 more years (Live to the age of 66.). There it is in black and white. Church is good for you! God is good for you! We have the evidence.
(This devotional has been updated and was originally written and sent on 01.14.1999.)