If someone who knows you was looking for you on Sunday, where would they look? Would they wonder where to look? Would they go to multiple places to find you? Would it be a mystery to them to know where to look? There are two components, I suppose, to this series of questions: (1) Where you are on Sunday, and (2) your friends’ and family’s awareness of your Sunday practice.
In Luke 2, young Jesus (at 12 years of age) went with His family to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover, as they did “every year” (Luke 2:41-42). When the family left, after the feast was over, “Boy Jesus lingered behind” (2:43). Once His parents realized He was not in their traveling group, they returned to Jerusalem, “seeking Him” (2:45). If your friends and family were searching for you on a Sunday, where would they look? Would you be in the same place as Jesus?
“After three days they found Him in the temple” (2:46). This 12-year-old was “sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions” (2:46). When His parents found Him, they were amazed and questioned Him about lingering behind. Consider carefully Jesus’ response: “Did you not know that I had to be in My Father’s house?” (2:49, NASB). Jesus could have been anywhere that He chose to be. But, where He chose to be is where He said that He “had to be.” Some might see that as “had to be” because of compulsion, but should we not see that as “had to be” because of choice? Jesus was where He wanted to be.
With the dawning of each first day of the week, where is it that you “choose” to be? Where is it that you “want” to be? Where is it that you “must” be? Where is it that your friends or family might know (not guess or hope) to find you?
Each Sunday, your ATTENDANCE in the presence of your Father in His house is a must. That does not have to be a “compulsion” thing—God would rather that be a “choice” thing. What is there that could keep you from being in your Father’s house?
Each Sunday, your ACTION in the presence of your Father in His house is a must. Attendance is not sufficient. Worship is a verb! It requires action! Don’t just be in the pew! Actively participate in the worship!
Each Sunday, your ATTITUDE in the presence of your Father in His house is a must. Attendance and Action alone are not sufficient. Your attitude must be right! Your heart must be engaged! Worship without the heart is vain (Matt. 15:8-9).
The devil tries many things to keep us from our Father’s house on Sunday! Let us triumph over his efforts and tell him, “I must be in my Father’s house!”