While I was sitting in the waiting room at my doctor’s office, thinking about what God wanted me to write in this devotional, I started to look around me and what I saw was all kinds of people from all walks of life with a variety of life experiences – rich, poor, old and young – all different yet we did have one thing in common.
We were all hurting in some way or another and were all together seeking help. We all had hope that, by coming there, we would get it.
Then I started to think of how much it was just like the “Church”. People from different walks and stages of life all hurting in some way or another, coming together to seek help!
Then why wouldn’t more people automatically flood the churches?
Some people think that the church is a place where only perfect people can go. They think they need to have all of their hurts healed and sins removed before they are welcome to enter the building. Or they feel churches are full of hypocrites.
“Perfect people” seen doing not so “perfect things”.
In reality, churches are hospitals for broken people, not museums for saints. Churches are made up of imperfect people who sometimes do imperfect things. Not all doctors are perfect people either, yet we still go to them for help.
As long as churches are run by people, egos and temptations are going to get in the way of their mission. Even the temple leaders in Jesus’ time were guilty of self-seeking behaviors rather than serving the people.
Until Christ comes back and takes charge of the church, there are going to be imperfect churches.
We need to remember that there is a real enemy of the church. When we stay away, our focus turns to other things and activities instead of worshiping God. When we convince our friends and family to do the same, we are doing Satan’s, not Jesus’ work. Satan is sneaking around like a roaring lion ready to devour whomever he can. Just like a lion, he wants to separate the herd and then go after, not the weakest animal, but the one that is on its own. The one who is out of the protection of the others in the herd. Soon we get further and further away from the fold and we are easy pickings for his lies and temptations.
There is strength in numbers!
Whether we realize it or not, we are ALL like broken pieces of glass. When we look at one piece of broken glass, we notice the breaks, the sharp edges that can hurt anyone who touches it! Basically, on its own it is useless! But when broken pieces are put all together in a kaleidoscope, no matter how much it is shaken or is tumbled, all of those pieces come together to make something beautiful over and over again!
There is not only strength, but healing and beauty in numbers!
Pat Arnold
Every Day With God 