“I didn’t get a thing out of that service!”
People who make such a comment tend to view church as though it’s designed exclusively for their benefit. Whether or not God was honored by what went on seldom enters their minds.
Mature believers go to church wanting to hear from God in a way that ministers to their needs. That’s a given. But also high on their agenda is spending time praising the Lord, thanking Him, confessing their sins to Him, etc.
Yes, these matters can be done in private. But singing a hymn alone is not the same as their voice joining with numerous others in exalting the Lord. Personally talking to God is a different dynamic than reciting with a congregation the basic truths you hold dear as a people. Standing when God’s Word is read as a sign of corporate reverence is not the same as standing the Scriptures at a desk on your own. Even the act of preparing to meet with God along with your fellow believers takes more effort than having personal devotions.
I am not minimizing the matter of whether or not people get something from a given service. Everyone should feel that the time they spent in God’s house was worth their while. I’m just bringing up the issue of God’s feelings. As people leave a service, do they sense God’s pleasure regarding the way they filled their role as a worshiper?
As they think about it, that’s really the more important question!
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