Years ago, my husband and I were traveling and stopped for a meal at a restaurant. As we were leaving, I noticed a box beside the register with entry forms for a free meal. I filled one out and dropped it into the box.
A few weeks later, I received a call from the restaurant. My entry had been selected, and I had won a free meal.
We didn’t pass that way again for a long time, and we couldn’t redeem the offer. Even so, it was fun to receive that phone call.
Before stopping at that restaurant, I didn’t even know the offer existed. But because I showed up, I was given the opportunity to receive a free meal.
Blessings Are Waiting for You
Could it be that we sometimes deprive ourselves of blessings because we don’t show up where blessings are being poured out? Consider this thought-provoking verse: “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is” (Hebrews 10:25, KJV).
During Jesus’ days on earth, people traveled from many places to be where He was. They showed up. Once they arrived, they were blessed by His teaching, His miracles, and His presence. Some of them received healing simply because they showed up.
Have you ever experienced a time when your faith seemed to be at an all-time low, but you showed up at church anyway, and your faith was strengthened? Or perhaps you felt discouraged or sad, but you showed up for fellowship with a brother or sister in the Lord and left encouraged and hopeful. Maybe the week was long and stressful, yet you showed up for prayer and Bible study and were reminded of how many more positives than negatives are in your life.
Move
At times, the hardest step in our spiritual growth is getting up off the couch. But if we stay where we are, we will remain the same. We must move to where the Word is being preached and taught. We move away from the mundane toward the miraculous. We move from apathy to the prayer room. We move out of our comfort zone and into the presence of Jesus.
Simply showing up is an expression of faith in God. Even when that faith feels weak, it gives God something to work with.
Just show up, you’ll be glad you did.
PRAYER:
Lord, help me to be faithful in church attendance. My culture says regular church involvement is unimportant, but it doesn’t understand the value of gathering with like-minded believers. The more often I show up, the stronger I become spiritually and the more stamina I have to walk with you. Thank you, Jesus, for the blessings You are preparing for me when I show up. Amen.
