Offerings and Needs

Another topic we touched on in Sunday school yesterday was worship. 

The letter to Timothy brings to mind the question -- why do you come to church?  How would you answer that question if an unchurched neighbor asked it of you?  We listed lots of answers on the board, and as they were shouted out, I divided them between "our needs" (such as, "I come to church because I need fellowship, or renewal" and our offerings (such as, "I come to church to offer my sacrifice of giving.").  We looked at the list and thought about how it should be balanced.  We do come to church because we need to, but we should also be aware that worship requires something of us -- our participation, our offerings, our gifts.

Does worship ever challenge you?  The communion liturgy invites us to Christ's table.  We are invited to repent of our sins and to receive forgiveness.  At communion yesterday, Jack invited us to leave behind those dark places within us that separate us from God.  Are we willing to offer to God our darkness?  Are we willing to confess our sins and receive forgiveness?  Sometimes, accepting forgiveness to can be a challenge.