Who's Got Time For That?

I rejoiced with those who said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.”

As I was sitting in church last Sunday, I noticed some people who were in the service that were checking the clock when the service started and at varying intervals during the service.  This is something that has bothered me from the time I was a young person. While I cannot presume know or judge another’s motives for their actions, I do question them.   I have always felt that, as a Christian, we should desire to be in God’s house and among his people.  We should never be concerned about the length of the church service. We are putting limits on the Holy Spirit when we are consumed with time in a church service. In addition, we lose our focus; we forget why we are at church. Finally, we may distract others who truly desire to worship God.  Friends, fellow Christians, if your passion in going to church is to love and worship God then put the watches away and make a deliberate choice not to be distracted by looking at the clock on the wall. Let's rejoice and be glad to come into God's presence. Let's not insult God by looking at the time as though we have some place better to be.  After all, you wouldn't appreciate someone you love coming to your house and then continually looking at their watch. We should not assume that God understands either.  For God searches the heart; He knows the motives behind the clock-watching.
Let us not be so concerned with the length of a church service that we fail to appreciate why we are there.  Now, let's worship.