Opening Day and Worship Day

Opening Day of baseball season is one of my favorite days of the year. I’ve been attending since my Dad used to get me out of school and take me to the opening day game of the Houston Buffaloes of the Texas League. I go to watch baseball. Last week I attended opening day again but found myself watching fans as much as baseball. A couple of thirty-somethings, seated in front of us, had obviously had a few drinks before their arrival for the afternoon game. During the game, they consumed at least one beer per inning. They got loud, then quiet, then obnoxious. A couple of times, they yelled at the wrong time, high-fiving everyone around them who would oblige their inebriated attempt at colleagueship. It made me wonder why they spent good money to attend a game they never watched. I left early so as not to encounter them on the parking lot as they tried to maneuver a motor vehicle through an alcoholic fog. The whole scenario carried over to Sunday morning. I found myself wondering why folks attend church. Not to drink, for sure. But why attend? Many were there to sincerely worship God. Others were there for friendship and fellowship. But a few? Hmmmm! So why do you attend a worship service? Why do I? In the midst of instructions to re-build the house of worship, God twice told the prophet Haggai, “Consider your ways” (Haggai 1:5, 7). There are multiple reasons why people attend baseball games, likewise worship services. Consider your ways.

Join me this week in remembering the following global prayer concerns:
• Pray for a group of believers from Romania, who will be traveling to Rome, Italy to work from Apr. 6-12 among the Roma there.
• Pray for All Nations Community Church, New Westminster, BC and their Interim Leader Kelly Manire. Pray for founding Pastor Andrej Voth, as he takes a sabbatical.
• Pray for a construction team from First Baptist Church of Dry Prong, Louisiana, working to complete a church in the small community of Paislal, Honduras.
• Continue to pray for relief ministries in Japan.