Do not become SLUGGISH!

I woke up this morning realizing that I could not attend church once again, because of a scheduling conflict. I had promised to babysit grandson Ethan, and his drop-off time changed from before church to mid-church. It occurred to me that the best way to spend the waiting time was reading God's Word, hopefully gaining wisdom and perhaps worshipping alone THE Awesome God. I opened to the Book of Hebrews. I know, rather random isn't it? Just open a book of the Bible and read until you become wise. But it wasn't as random as neccessary because for some unknown[to me] reason I had been inwardly impressed to read Hebrews! Another interesting part of Mid-life that is rarely talked about, is that when you are impressed about something, years of experience tells you to Just DO IT.

In the meantime, I have been thinking alot about grace and church attendance and spirituality and holiness and life and weariness and on and on , as we mid-lifers tend to do. As an aside, I had to stop getting the newspaper because I got tired of being sad for people who had someone die during the week. Obituaries were read as if they were Breaking News reports!

Generally speaking I am an avid church attender, participator, member, lover, one of those die-hard types in Christendom.[I bet that word means Christ's Kingdom!] "Oh, you don't know my church experience" , you might be thinking. OH, but I do! and perhaps my own experiences can match yours, ugly story for ugly story. But since I am a follower of Jesus Christ and since He loves His church , His Bride, He calls her, then who am I to argue?

Back to Hebrews and the reading, finding wisdom and Truth part. I was utterly distracted and finding the text to be quite simply 'not applicable' to me. I had already decided that since by grace I am saved through faith , and since it is a gift of God , not of works, I would claim this church attendance category as a work,so I KNEW where I stood . Thank you very much.

Then as boldly and clearly as the political ad campaigns are on the TV during PrimeTime,especially LOST, I saw it. DO NOT BECOME SLUGGISH, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
Oh my, I am guilty, again and still. I was becoming sluggish. I think that is the coolest word to describe my internal antics of semantics. I cannot begin to write here what that feels like to know exactly what God is telling YOU directly, clearly and specifically, as if you are the only one He is talking to.

Sluggish is exactly what I was about to become, ignoring the years of utter delight in the church, ignoring the warnings and exhortations and examples of older friends, ignoring what I know to be the reasons to keep going to church!! SLUGGISHNESS. A SLUG.

Inheriting the Promises is conditional on my being NOT sluggish? Good grief!is there even a word for that in Roget's Thesaurus?(or on line as the case may be?)I am only thinking out loud here, but perhaps that word is CHURCH?

Ethan arrived, an hour after my tearful repentance before my Father in Heaven Who always forgives me and my dull heart.Turns out I could have gone to church! I could have heard the sermon, sang the songs, seen my friends whom I love dearly, worshipping the Lord God together with them.

I think, however, that the plan for me today was exactly as it needed to be, and the sermon I heard from God Himself was heard much more clearly than it would have been otherwise. I really do not want to be found to be Sluggish when I die and go to eternity. Too chubby? Perhaps. Too gray? Maybe. A Little Boring? Obviously. But NOT SLUGGISH. I want those Promises!