How many people have you met that do not read the Word of God, but like to discuss the Scriptures? Probably none, for it would be impossible to logically discuss anything that we have no knowledge about. Now, how many people do you know that do read the Scriptures, but have no desire to speak of them? Probably quite a few I would guess.
“Make me to understand the way of thy precepts: so shall I talk of thy wondrous works.” (Psalm 119:27)
I have mentioned this several times before, but apparently the Holy Spirit feels it is necessary to bring it up again, the next time you are in church, listen closely to the conversations around you as people take their seats and before the service begins, and then again as those in attendance begin to find their way to the exits. What do you hear? Accounts of how the Lord has blessed that week, or unprofitable accounts of self interest stories? Praise and adoration, a heart prepared to worship before and words of thanksgiving after the morning meeting, or the weather, the crops, the latest atrocities of the world.
What you hear is a very good indicator of these individuals lives, what you hear will tell you what is important to them.
In all my years in the workforce I listened to people who occasionally would mention something about “at church on Sunday…” but not about the message, not about prayer requests or how the Holy Spirit moved them, but about some completely innocuous subject, something worldly, something unprofitable. They may read their Bibles, but they have little desire to speak of the One who wrote it.
“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.” (Psalm 23:6)
I do not believe you will find a conversation at church about the Lord, in fact the preaching from many of the pulpits today rarely glorify Him, and could barely be called worship. No, the world has drawn their attention, and since their ears must be tickled if you want them to continue attending, the world is what has been invited into the church. Most sit there in silence, but not rapt awe, their eyes slowly glazing over, their bodies begin to fidget if the sermon last longer than thirty minutes. They do not desire to be in the house of the Lord, they want to get back to the world.
Actual men of God who stand behind the pulpit see those glazed over looks, they try to convict those souls with the truths of the Scriptures, but those men are few and far between today, and as time goes on, they watch the pews begin to empty, those who feel obliged remain, but the pre and post conversations stay the same.
My beautiful wife and I have not attended church in over three years now, there are none in the area that are not as those this short letter speaks about, but to tell you the truth, we have both grown more in the Lord in those three years than at anytime before. But another thing has happened in that time, we are not well accepted by those who continue to attend, for almost all we desire to speak about is the Savior.
