War, Memorial Day and God's Kingdom
“Hanging on my wall is a picture of my father and three of his brothers. They are in uniforms of the United States Armed Forces. All four served during World War II in both the European and Pacific theaters. All four survived and came home to their families. I look at the picture often and think about how remarkable it was they all lived through that war. You may know the fictional movie, “Saving Private Ryan,” which tells the story of four brothers at war, three of whom are killed in action and the heroic effort to pull the fourth out of the conflict to spare further grief for the family at home.
I appreciate the service of my father, his brothers and all who have worn the American uniform to defend freedom and preserve liberty. Yet, I have been a student of history and know that war is a scourge; that war in the end destroys lives, rips the fabric of society and reshapes history, not always for the good. War is the second rider of the seals John sees in the book of Revelation. War has been a part of human experience since Cain killed his brother Abel. War will not end till Christ returns and, in one final explosion of conflict, puts an end to the never-ending struggles of the nations of the earth.
My father had an offer to return to war during the Korean conflict but refused. He had seen enough carnage. When his nephew went to Iraq in 1990 to fight during the first Gulf War, he thought it a folly and was not convinced of all the political rhetoric supporting that effort. I think time has proven his instinct right. I had often wondered what he thought when I did not follow his path into military service. His reaction at that time was my answer.
This is Memorial Day weekend in America—a time set aside to remember and honor those who served, those who gave their lives that we might have ours. What scripture might we turn to in the Bible to see how we should view a national day set aside to remember fallen soldiers? King David’s lament over Saul and his son Jonathan is a fitting song that carries the right tone when we consider those who have fallen in battle: “The beauty of Israel is slain on your high places! How the mighty have fallen! Saul and Jonathan were beloved and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided; They were swifter than eagles. They were stronger than lions. How the mighty have fallen, and the weapons of war perished!” (2 Samuel 1:19, 23, 27).
War is an evil that violates the sanctity of human life. Yet, war is a part of the human condition and we, the living, deal with its reality. I will go about my life this weekend of memorial. I will have an outing with my family and have a traditional barbecue. But I will also pause at the picture of my father and his brothers and remember four young men who did not seek to fight but when drafted, answered what they felt was their duty and went to war. I will remember that each one had their life changed forever by the experience. I will say a prayer of thanks for the freedom and life they helped me experience. I will point this out as well to my children and grandchildren, so they do not forget. I will go about living, just as they would want.
May God’s Kingdom come.” From: 
_______
Why Church Is Important
“There are many reasons not to attend church. So why is church important? What does the Bible say about the purpose and benefits of God’s Church—and how to find it?
More than a quarter of Americans are religiously unaffiliated—atheist, agnostic or “nothing in particular.” Religion pollsters are calling them “nones.”
This group is growing rapidly, while among those who identify as Christian, church attendance keeps dropping.
These trends are not unique to the United States. In fact, most other Western nations experienced this decline in church attendance decades ago.
People are finding a lot of good reasons not to go to church.
[Note: This article is not intended to pressure or guilt anyone who has decided due to safety concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic not to attend in-person services. Emergency situations require emergency responses. But church is still important and is worth extra efforts to stay connected even when you can’t be there in person.]
“Why I don’t go to church”
Consider these reasons discovered in a Google search for “why I don’t go to church”:
- “I’m 29, single and a Christian. Moment of vulnerability here: I don’t like going to church. I used to like going and got SO much out of it, but now, not so much. My question is: Why should I keep attending?”
- “Mainly, because I’ve always found Church extremely boring. Sitting for an hour (or, even worse, an hour and a half if the priest is too inspired), half listening to a lecture while taking a glance at the clock every two minutes, is not something I like doing. Especially when it means I have to wake up early on a Sunday.”
- “I make no secret of the fact that I am deeply troubled by the state of organized Christianity. Most of what we call ‘church’ today are nothing more than well-planned performances with little actual connection between believers.”
- “I was taken aback by our journey to find the right church. It was almost unbelievable how most churches did not preach the truth. …
-
“Most people weren’t attending church in order to be edified. They just wanted to be pacified, and pastors were willing to feed their hunger for secular, inspirational messages; cute stories; clever presentations; emotional appeals; and, salesmanship. - … Also there was usually an appeal for money, because it seems that most churches have a perpetual cash flow problem.”
Survey results: Why people don’t attend church
The hundreds of personal reasons combine into trends that the pollsters have measured.
Pew Research Center reported, “Overall, the single most common answer cited for not attending religious services is ‘I practice my faith in other ways,’ which is offered as a very important reason by 37% of people who rarely or never attend religious services. A similar share mention things they dislike about religious services or particular congregations, including one-in-four who say they have not yet found a house of worship they like, one-in-five who say they dislike the sermons, and 14% who say they do not feel welcome at religious services.”
Barna reported, “Millennials who are opting out of church cite three factors with equal weight in their decision: 35% cite the church’s irrelevance, hypocrisy, and the moral failures of its leaders as reasons to check out of church altogether. In addition, two out of 10 unchurched Millennials say they feel God is missing in church, and one out of 10 senses that legitimate doubt is prohibited, starting at the front door.”
Barna summarized that, across age and denomination, the top two reasons for not attending church are:
- “I find God elsewhere” (40 percent).
- “Church is not relevant to me personally” (35 percent).
What the “nones” have right
Those who mark “none” in the religion box on surveys are right to reject irrelevant religion. Why choose to go to a church that provides no meaning or help? Why go to a church if God is not there?
Many churches today are not in tune with the Bible and the practical help it gives and the real hope it offers.
Many churches today are not in tune with the Bible and the practical help it gives and the real hope it offers.
Still, we strongly believe that the truth of the Bible—including the importance it gives to the Church designed and approved by God—remains relevant.
If the churches you have been to are not relevant, how do you find the right one?
What God intended for His Church to be
What does the Church Jesus founded look like? Why did He establish His Church?
God designed His Church to accomplish His work on earth (Ephesians 4:11-16). He made it an ideal place for the people He calls to grow to become His children.
God uses His Church to nurture, feed and protect His children. He provides education and training through the Church.” Continued at: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/change/the-church/why-church-is-important/?
_______
No comments:
Post a Comment