Face-To-Face With Jesus

"For it is God who calls the heart."

THERE ARE those who refuse to attend church. What do we say to them? What should our attitude be? I know the answer to this. But I’m going to guess most would reply that we should give some sort of invitation. I know those who do this faithfully and with sincere hearts. I’ve yet to see much results. Usually, that one they’ve approached switches the subject. Usually, we privately mumble about their supposed reason for avoiding it.

There is an irony to this. We tell stories of the anointing going through the internet, of people being healed from prayers they read on their cellphones. We encourage believers to watch recorded sermons or live church services from their homes, even sharing links. Then we condemn them for not showing up in person, with the reasoning that the anointing is better in person. I agree there is something to be said for being there. But if God would heal that one via cellphone, then He will speak to their heart from their armchair. We believe this but still refuse to change our thinking.

We don’t ask the Holy Spirit.

There are people who don’t live near a church. There are those who’ve been burned by a church. There are those who will never ever attend, disliking the social aspect of it, but will feed on God’s Truth continually at home. Outgoing people discourage non-social types trying to make them see things outside of who they are. Only God can change the heart, and I have news for you. He’s just fine with someone being quiet, disinterested in church social groups, and other forms of crowd activities.

He would rather someone be saved and love Him with all their heart from home than be in church, angry, uncomfortable, and miserable.

Does that one who is sick and cannot come “get away with” avoiding church in our heads, yet the one who just doesn’t want to go get condemned by us? Understand why I ask it this way. In Jesus’ day, all across Israel were people tormented by devils and unclean spirits. They were in the synagogues, and no one did anything. Even worse, when Jesus did do something, because it was the Sabbath, they got angry. Read this carefully. This is the same image. Where was the love of God that their ancestors had displayed to them? Where was Jehovah’s everlasting mercy? Mercy is seen in our actions, heard in our voices. No one should have gone to the synagogue filled with an unclean spirit and left there still tormented. We would allow devils to go to church but condemn other people for not showing up? This all kinds of backwards.

I do as the Spirit has directed me – I say nothing. I do what He’s told me to do, I show the love of God in the smile on my face and the care in my voice, by being friendly and polite, and praying for them as I go on with my day. For it is God who calls the heart. He only can bring conviction, and how He does so is always filled with so much love and forgiveness that they cannot avoid knowing it. He is continual and always, never retracting His hand, and knows just how to speak to them, how to be heard by them, in ways we don’t understand. After all, He is the reason we’d invite them in the first place. Not to a place, nor to hear a man, nor to attend a service in a particular denomination, but so that they would enter one way and leave another way. Changed. Or find God where they’re sitting, behind the desk, staring at a computer, face-to-face with Jesus.

“So now the case is closed. There remains no accusing voice of condemnation against those who are joined in life-union with Jesus, the Anointed One.” (Romans 8:1 TPT)

“Who then is left to condemn us? Certainly not Jesus, the Anointed One! For he gave his life for us, and even more than that, he has conquered death and is now risen, exalted, and enthroned by God at his right hand. So how could he possibly condemn us since he is continually praying for our triumph?” (Romans 8:34 TPT)

Photo by Sarah Dorweiler on Unsplash


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Suzanne D. Williams, Author
www.suzannedwilliams.com
www.feelgoodromance.com