When I lived in Chicago I went to a church that I loved. I enjoyed the people, the fellowship and I felt I was spiritually fed there. When I moved to Alabama I couldn't find a church that gave me the same sense of belonging that I wanted in a church. It's been 5 1/2 years now and I still haven't found that place I long for.
When friends from Chicago ask if I've found a church yet I cringe because I don't know how to answer that. When friends in Alabama ask what church I go to I feel embarrassed because I don't go to a church. Not for lack of looking mid you.
After much discussion with someone I respect and talking to God about this I realized my idea of church is a building. A place I HAVE to go. A place where I NEED to go on Sunday's to be closer to God. What I discovered after that was WE are the church. All followers of Christ are the church because Christ is in us. God doesn't have a street address that we have to go to talk go Him. He doesn't have an appointment book or Palm Pilot with Sunday's 10:30am circled in red. He's where I am at all times.
That doesn't mean I don't have to have fellowship with other believers, that just means I don't have to go to a certain building at a certain address on Sunday mornings to have that. I can fellowship with the person in front of me in line at the grocery store. When I get together with friends who are believers we are having fellowship. When Don and I sit in the evening and read our bibles and discuss what we've read we are having fellowship.
Going to a brick and mortar church because I have to or saying a prayer because it's in the program for that Sunday is not bringing me to a closer relationship with God. It's getting to know Him and allowing Him to work within me that gives me that relationship and brings me closer to Him.
Now when someone asks, what church do you go to I don't feel embarrassed and think I'm less of a Christian. I can hold my head up high and tell them, I am the church and we have a closer relationship since I realized that.
That doesn't stop me from looking for a church building to go to on Sunday mornings. I enjoy the music and getting together with fellow believers but it's no longer an obligation I must meet, it's not a commitment I have to keep and it won't make my relationship with God any weaker if I don't find one. As a matter of fact, I'm more sensitive to God's voice than I've ever been and our relationship is growing every day.Job 37:5 God's voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding.
Colossians 1:24 Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church.
