Thoughts on Church

Just a short post before the work week starts. For someone who usually goes to church 2 to 3 times a week, I have not realised how closely my emotional and spiritual rhythm have been tied to the act of going to church and being amongst a familiar body of believers. I have not been able to go to church in Noida this past 2 weeks - for various reasons. Last week, a few people from the office decided to go partying on Saturday night and I thought it would be good to get to know the others better. And it was good. Excepting that we reached home at 4.30am. Although I managed to wake up on time, I couldn't get to any churches for the fact that I spoke no Hindi to arrange for transport. This week, I lost my phone enroute getting to church and I am inclined to believe that there is some kind of spiritual battle going on.

While having a community enjoined by prayer and faith is a good thing, the fact that I was very upset and disappointed that I have not been able to go to church in Noida also seem to reveal a few things of what church means to me. Surely I meet with God in my prayers and during quiet time - is God insufficient for me? Why do I not encounter the same sense of disappointment when I am not able to do quiet time daily? I was very much looking forward to go to church. Do I not have the same level of desire to meet with the Lord daily?

What has corporate worship through songs of praise come to mean for me? God says that the object and the attitude of worship is more important than the form of worship. Have I been so caught up in the atmosphere of worship that I fail to focus on the object of worship in whatever form my worship might take? I am reminded of missionaries who go into places where the gospel have not yet reached, and they have to fully lean on God, often without benefit of having a community to worship God on Sundays. Certainly God is pleased with the work of their hands.

When I strip away corporate worship, what is left in my life? God has been gracious in providing me with a great sense of His peace while I have been in India, but I sense that I cannot get complacent or comfortable in this peace. This peace is a security such that I may be free to move on to other things, and a deeper level of walking with Him. But what and how?