Two Flakes

        The weather seem to dominate our lives by dictating what we are going to do simply based upon the weather.  I was standing next to a man recently who said, "Nothing scares a Baptist more than 2 flakes of snow."     When it snows on a Tuesday evening or a Saturday evening, right away the thought is that we are not going to be able to attend church.  I know that in my later years, snow is frightening especially when you are thinking about falls and broken bones.  So, we are more careful about it.  In my earlier years, I took a lot of tumbles in the snow and ice but just got up and walked away.  I also recall driving an old Pontiac and having to take the fender skirts off to put on the chains when things got really bad.  Nothing, stopped us from going to the grocery store to get our supply of milk, bread and toilet paper to last through the storm.   Psalm 122:1 says, "I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD."
       The weather wasn't a factor years ago.  We went to church even when you had to drive on hard packed snow from November to April.  The little word "glad" that is in the above verse is the clue.  The person who loves to worship God in a group isn't going to be stopped by a few flakes of snow.  I know of one pastor who lived close to the church and who made the statement, "We will never close even if it means that I will be the only one here."   Offering worship to God is important but it isn't the snow flakes that stop so many from coming to church.  It could be, basketball, football, a headache, relatives and the list goes on because in today's culture, church is quite a few notches down on the list.  We say that we can worship God in a Laz-y-Boy with a peanut butter sandwixh, chips, a drink and Charles Stanley.  They might be good but the experience of coming together as a group of believers with one purpose in mind is far better.  You may feel like you just can't make it to church but when you go, it is amazing to have a feeling of joy replace that of despair when you leave the worship service.  It is true that Satan doesn't want anyone to go to church.  He would rather that all of us stay home.  Victory comes when we find ourselves singing and praying together and offering praise to God for what He has done for all of us in the past 24 hours or more.  So, praise God today that we have an opportunity to gather together to offer praise and worship to Him.  Will you be there at the next appointed time?