Exactly Backwards

I have received several postcards in the mail recently inviting me to attend a new local "Christian church". The postcard doubles as a coupon for a free cup of coffee sold at the "church", and boasts of the relaxed atmosphere, uplifting music, free child care, and relevant message found there. Each of the postcards promises that God has a blessing in store for me. The entire focus of the advertisement, and I would imagine the entire focus of the "churches", is that by choosing one of these "churches" I will be able to easily and comfortably fit God into my life, and that if I can find time for God, He will release an abundance of blessings into my life.

This is precisely the problem I have with the vast majority of churches today. The focus here is exactly backwards. If the reason you are going to church is to get your blessing from God, your focus is wrong. You should be focused on giving God the praise and worship that are due Him. If the reason you are going to church is to fit God into your life, your focus is wrong. You should be focused on fitting your life into God. If you are searching for a church and basing your choice on what feels right and whether or not you feel comfortable, your focus is wrong. You should be focused on searching for and finding the truth, and you should settle for nothing less.

The truth is not comfortable...so say the gospels. The truth is not subjective...so say the scriptures. The truth is not about you...so says Christ. The truth is not about deluding yourself into thinking that you can manipulate God into giving you what you "deserve" by enjoying a free cup of coffee once a week...so says common sense, and the Bible.

The truth is about submitting to the will of the loving and all-merciful God. And the truth is, nowhere in this world is the reality of this submission and the reality of this love and mercy more evident than in the Orthodox Church.