Going Thru The Motions

Have you ever been driving to work, or maybe driving home, and as you pull into the parking lot or the driveway of your house you realize, you don't remember anything about the drive! You don't remember if you stopped at that light before making the right hand turn (you know, the one with the camera....that knows if you made a complete stop). You don't remember anything about the drive....you were just going thru the motions.

Or maybe someone will ask you "How's it going?" And your response, no matter what the truth is, goes something like this, "Oh, it's good."

These thoughts and more crossed my mind while listening to "Going Thru The Motions" by Steve Camp.



Here's the lyrics:

"Going Thru The Motions:

Why don't we take a stand against the fear the rules the hearts of men.
They're crushed and broken, by the weight of sin.
Do our lives point the way to Him.

We're full of knowledge
We're so well fed
Our churches are crowded
But our witness is dead

We say that we're livin' and pointin' the way
But if you look around you'll see nothin's really changed

We're just goin' thru the motions
Goin' thru the motions
Where is the devotion
We're goin' thru the motions

Where oh where are the tears in the night
The cries of repentance for a holier life
Our hearts are hardened and our worship is cold
Our faith is weak becaues our prayers our old

We need a fire
To fall from above
And set us aflame
With a passionate love

That burns for our Father
And cares for the lost
But I don't really think we've ever counted the cost

We're still going thru the motions
Going thru the motions
Where is the devotion
Oh, we're going thru the motions

I don't know about you, but I have found myself in this place before. I get up on Sunday morning, head off to church, put in my time, and go home. By the time I get home, I can't even remember what the message was about (of course, now I'm talking about before I became a pastor). And by Monday, it is ancient history.

Even as a pastor I'm afraid I sometimes just go through the motions. Time to prepare another sermon. Time to read another lesson. Get up. Show up. Speak up. Shut up.....for cryin' out loud, I feel like throwin' up.

Now don't get me wrong. Even if you're going thru the motions, going to church is better than staying at home, but don't we want more out of our worship and fellowship than a step above what is better than staying at home?

Don't we want more out of christian life than just a step above not going to hell?

What has happened to the passionate life for Christ? What has happened to prayer meetings where the Spirit poured out His power on the church? What has happened to times of prayer and worship where you could feel the very presence of God in your midst? What happened to christians weeping for the lost?

I don't know what happened.....but I want it back.

I don't want wimpy, just barely getting by worship.

Join me in prayer this week for revival in the church. For revival in my church. For revival in your church. For revival in HIS church.

My prayer for the church today is that we might here them say about us what they said about Paul and his companions in Acts 17:6 "...These who have turned the world upside down have come here too."

Come on, let's quit going thru the motions, and let's turn the world upside down for Jesus!

Ok, so there's that.
Pastor Dave