By GARY ANDREWS
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As a small child and on into my teenage years I had no other option of doing anything on Sunday mornings except going to church. For me it was not a problem because I loved going to church and enjoyed Sunday school. My teachers made it fun and entertaining and I learned as the scriptures were being taught.
There were many others just like me that was pushed or coerced into going to church until they were given the opportunity of making their own decision. Many gained an attitude of apathy toward the church and even toward God because of these mandatory rules. They have shied away from the Biblical teachings of the church and have become indignant toward others that try to get them to attend again.
In the last book of the Old Testament a Jewish Prophet named Malachi addressed the same issues that many of us are facing today. The Jewish people were in hard times, just as many of us are, and believed that God had let them down. They were a complaining people and developed a sense of apathy to the one and only true God. They were listening to false teachers and corrupt leaders. Many of them were unfaithful in their marriages, neglecting their families, taking advantage of the weaker people, neglecting true worship to God, and holding back their tithes to the church.
These people were doing all of this even though they were living under God’s blessing. Doesn’t this sound familiar? Aren’t we doing the same today as the Jews were centuries ago?
All one has to do is listen to the very biased news media about the unscrupulous politicians and the false teachers of today and see that we are a people being led away from the one and only true God. We are fast becoming a nation of unfaithful and unappreciative people and this really hinders the work of the church and hinders the blessings we all want and desire.
We have become a people that want to give a token to the Lord instead of our best. We have become a people that holds on to what the Lord has provided to us and refuse to give back that portion which He has asked for. We have become a people that has forgotten who is ultimately in charge and provides for us everything that we have and need.
Even though as children and young teenagers we were prompted and made to go to church because it seems our parents had a better understanding that the Lord provides. Many of us have fallen away from our roots and forgotten that God is watching us. We have forgotten that God challenges us to challenge Him. Malachi challenged God’s people to take God seriously, not just in giving but in every aspect of life.
All of us need to renew our love for God Almighty and take Him seriously at His Word. We need to rid ourselves of the apathetic attitudes we have and go forth and tell everyone about how good God is to us and why the fellowship of church strengthens our relationship to Him and others.
Prayer: Father, thank you for your mercy and graciousness. You have blessed me beyond measure and I have taken it for granted. Let me be a leader among the people of your church and get my apathetic ways behind me. Amen.
(Suggested daily Bible readings: Sunday – Malachi 1:1-5; Monday – Luke 18:1-8; Tuesday – Zephaniah 2:13-15; Wednesday – Matthew 22:1-14; Thursday – Lamentations 1:8-12; Friday – 2 Peter 2:4-22; Saturday – Proverbs 14:11-15.)
Gary Andrews is the author of Encouraging Words: 30-days in God’s Word. To obtain a copy go to his website www.gadevotionals. com.