Why do you go to church on Sunday? And I don't mean on Sunday as opposed to Saturday or something. I mean, what should our goal be, so to speak, of going to church? I have come to one conclusion that ties all of the other reasons together: we go (or at least we should) to get a bigger picture of God. That's it.

Think about it. If you are in the middle of the hardest days of your life, what happens when you are reminded through the song lyrics during worship and the reading of the Word, that God is ALL POWERFUL, ALL LOVING, ALL MERCIFUL, ALL HOLY AND ALL KNOWING? Your gloom becomes hope-filled, smaller becomes your all-consuming circumstances, and hope once again reigns in your soul.

Now, if we go for any other reason (such as: to see friends, or to look for a relationship, or simply to go or serve due to a sense of duty or habit), what happens? We leave having the things in our lives just the same as when we came. Men are fallible, foolish and weak. God is always in control, never is stressed or confused, always willing to forgive and is ever-present. If you go to church to hear from a particular leader or pastor, however much he may be gifted, you may be blessed in some manner I suppose. But how much greater the impact when we go to church to see Him! His eyes full of fire, lightening in His face, the voice of the multitudes coming forth like thunder. That is the God who we worship! You cannot take in the sight and not be changed... God is in the midst of us as we gather - what a shame when you or I miss Him when He has made Himself available to be seen. Let's pray that he allows us the privilege this very Sunday!