Why

The President of the church surprised us with a visit. We knew he was in the area for another event and we learned at the last minute he would be able to stop by for our kids activities on Sunday afternoon and for our evening services later that day.

He arrived just as the kids gathered. After we sang our songs and offered prayer, we turned the lesson time over to the President so he could talk with the kids. After asking them some questions about who they were, he asked, "Why do you come here?"

And I panicked.

My immediate silent prayer was, "Good Lord don't let them answer 'Because we get candy bars after the lesson.'"

Hands shot up immediately and he called on the boy I thought most likely to give a full description of the types of candy he preferred. The boy answered, "To be in the presence of God." The next kid answered, "To learn things from the Bible." The one after that said, "So I can practice how God wants me to live each day." The fourth said, "Because it's peaceful here."

I have to admit that I often go to church just for the candy bars. I like being around people I know, singing the songs I like, hearing from my favorite scripture passages, and sharing in testimonies about how God has been nice to those who have gathered.

I want to be more able to answer as the kids did:

-"To be in the presence of God" knowing that His presence is wonderful yet carries conviction that loves me so much it scares me enough to correct what isn't right and to do things I don't want to do.

-"To learn things from the Bible" knowing that the pages I don't often look to are filled issues and concepts and Truth that are hard for me to understand & embrace and that if I look more closely at my favorite passages I realize that I've only scratched the surface of their meaning.

-"So I can practice how God wants me to live each day" knowing that it means that I need to go deep into the messiness of other people's lives and let other people go deep into my own mess so that together we can practice patients, kindness, mercy, grace, compassion, faithfulness, endurance, acceptance, correction, love.

-"Because it's peaceful here" knowing that peace is rooted first in the choice God makes to live at peace with us despite ourselves and second in our call to share that peace with others despite themselves and ourselves.

Candy bars are delicious. But a diet heavy in them, no matter how tasty, leaves us flabby and starved. The kids said they came to church for the meat and potatoes of the Gospel along with the Fruit of the Spirit. May I be able to honestly answer something better than "because of the candy bars" the next time someone asks me why I go to church.

Lord, nourish me at your banquet. Guide my cravings to the spiritual foods that will help me grow strong in You.