Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. – Hebrews 10:25
We are taught that we are not to miss church, but why is it such a big deal? This question seems to be asked often in today’s society: Why is it so important not to miss church?
I have been in church for 26 years now. I have read through the Bible nearly 25 times and have listened to well over 5,000 sermons. I mean, what more is there for me to learn? The answer is: everything! The Word of God is alive, and the fullness of Scripture can never be attained. I Peter 1:23 tells us that the Word of God …liveth and abideth for ever. We need to attend every church service so that we do not miss the truths God has for us from the preaching of His Word.
Just last week, we had our Old-Time Religion Conference. Pastor Greg Neal preached a message entitled “What to Do When Your Ziklag Is Burned.” As I sat in that service listening intently and taking notes, I could not help but feel that the message was prophetic. The Holy Spirit was speaking to me, giving me a warning that my Ziklag—my place of rest and safety—was under attack, and I would need this message.
To be honest, the thought of this made me feel sick. See, the Holy Spirit had spoken to me prior to this through a verse that was quoted in a book I had been reading. The verse was Job 23:10, But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. I knew that this verse was meant to prepare me for some test to come. Sure enough, I was tested just a few minutes later, and I clung to that verse.
A week after the conference, I found that my “Ziklag” had indeed been burned. I will admit that when I was first given the news, I was overwhelmed. I cried uncontrollably for hours but did not relate my situation to the message right away. My heart hurt. I had no idea what to do. While I was talking to my mother-in-law, she said, “Perhaps this is your Ziklag.” Then, it hit me.
What if I had missed that service during the conference? To be clear, the message was preached on a Tuesday morning; it was not even preached during a Sunday church service. Perhaps this is why the Bible never states that we are to assemble on a particular day of the week but says instead, Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together,… That means whenever the church assembles, I need to be there. Had I missed that service, I would not be able to handle this situation as God intends. I was given the tools to survive this storm.
Upon this realization, I quickly grabbed the notes I took during that sermon and read them. A sense of peace flooded my heart and mind. No, nothing was fixed. Ziklag was still burned, but I now know what to do. The road ahead looks difficult, but I have the resources necessary to get through it because I showed up for church on a Tuesday morning.
The next time you consider missing church, do not! You could miss the exact thing that will equip you for victory in the days ahead!
by Crystal Collingsworth
