This past summer most people have tried to return their lives to normal; we are still aware of COVID, but learning to live again. And in so doing I want to ask you a question, “Have you returned to church life, have you gathered with God’s people for public or corporate worship?”
At one time in the Old Testament account of God’s people, they had been overtaken by a neighbouring country and their cities ransacked and the Jewish Temple destroyed. Later, they had returned to their homeland and they were trying to rebuild what they once had. They worked hard to rebuild their lives and bring some resemblance of normal, thinking they were getting things right. Then along comes the Prophet of God and asks God’s people (Haggai Chapter 1) “Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?” “…because my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with your own house.” God was calling them back to His priorities, asking them to put the things of God back in their rightful place. They responded and began to rebuild His Temple.
In our day in the New Testament, the Temple of God is the Church family, the people of God are His dwelling place, not a building. God desires to build His people into His house, the place where God dwells. As we give ourselves to God and to His people to be joined together with them, we are participating with God in building His House. This is God’s priority.
After the difficulties of COVID, have we returned to as close to normal as we are comfortable with? What are our priorities as we rebuild? Have we included helping to build God’s House as our priority? Or are we doing what we see as important for rebuilding our lives? As followers of Jesus, He has called us to make His priorities our own.
I want to remind you that your Church family needs you, not for what you can do, but for who you are, a part of the community of Faith.
Return to corporate worship if you haven’t, worship together again with God’s people. Your church family needs you to help build the Lord’s House.
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Fred Erb serves as pastor at Listowel Community Church.
