No Time No Talent No Mood, so no Church

Ever felt like you have lost your commitment in going to church 

and feel completely guilty about it?

Well, that guilt can save your life, the spiritual life that is.

Hebrews 10:25 "not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as ye see the Day approaching."

It is really easy to lose sight of spiritual needs once you lose sight of going to Church,
and you sink into the sandstorm of worldly troubles, if not worldly pleasures.
Knowing that True Jesus Church is the true Church,
but not believing from your heart cannot rouse you to any spiritual edification. If you are one whose faith is kind of lukewarm, and your faith is like walking along a tight rope,
knowing fully well that you need more commitment in church, yet your faith is so brittle and fragile,
maybe these could be your excuses: No time, no talent, no mood, lastly it lands you to "no church" anymore.

Praise be to God, for placing me in Manchester Prayer House in my summer semester in 2014.
In a small and unsightly and "nothing-so-special" church, my course mates have built their faith with God by watching and learning from brothers and sisters there. Nothing fanciful, yet it could cure us of those cliche excuses:

No Time

A brother who served as the church program planner, also served as a physician at the hospital. If you had even played in those roles, they are not easy. Both jobs are time-consuming.
Thank God, his wife testified, with eyes brimming with teary emotion, that he is always busy. So busy that whenever he had a short break from his job, he would waste no time and fumble out his phone, not to Facebook, but rush to schedule the church programs, to do divine work. He shows no sign of complaint, of fatigue, of tiredness. Every single time I saw him, he was always charged with joy and thankfulness to God. He and his wife lived such exemplary life of servitude together.

Then I guessed his secret recipe was none other than God Himself.
He has had seen God not in short-lived miracles, but in the preciousness of His Word and promises. Whenever I think back of his beautiful testimony, I yearn that God would say to him "well done, good and faithful servant!" (Matt 25:23)

No Talent

You cannot speak a sermon, cannot interpret, cannot play the instrument? Are you already bound in a box of those restrictions? Think out of the box. Service to God is not limited to those. And if you are interested in those areas of service, pray and work towards it. A talent can be gifted, but must be nurtured on your own initiative.

A sister in Manchester prayer house, travels to church on her own, despite her disability. She is disabled, yet more abled than any of us in her great love. She made handmade souvenirs for us foreign students. And during church fellowships, she cooks for us sitting in her wheelchair.
Have we ever done such actions of love to truthseekers or minority believers?

Being in the wheelchair, yet she is not confined to her disability in service to God.

There is no sign of sorrow and grumbling, just all sunny and cheery and always full of laughter.
There might be hard times for her but she has now resolved to serve the Lord and she is looking all sweet about it. It drove me to tears as I questioned myself, would I demand God for healing or otherwise reject God? Would I demand more than I am already blessed with? Blessing is not about finally getting what we want, but be contented with what we have and praise God.
Now, did you say "no transport" so you can't come to church? She never had to ask. She called a cab.

No Mood

Another sister there, came to church with her usual sweet and broad smiles and very heart-warming greetings. During the bible study at a youth sharing session, she surprisingly broke into tears.

She had been covering up the burdensome sorrow in her heart about her unemployment and the passing of someone really dear to her. She was disheartened that she couldn't even fork out enough money to travel to meet him before he passed on. It was heart-breaking.
Nonetheless, she insisted to come. She did not relent to sorrow by NOT coming to church. She knew she needed God more in these trying times.
If it were you, would that turn into your valid reason for missing a Sabbath service?
No mood due to broken courtship? No mood due to poor grades?
Don't let it. instead, let us "never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervour, serving the Lord" (Rom 12:11)


Hope this benefits you in our spiritual battles against flesh.
And resolve to be the driver to a glorious and spiritual Church. Glory to God. Amen.