A Song for When… You Need a Little Church
Toby Mac has a song out called “a lil Church (nobody’s too lost).” Have you ever thought that maybe you were too lost to come back to church? Have you missed so many weeks in a row that you’re not sure how to walk back in those doors? You’re never too far gone to come back to Jesus.
There can be many different reasons why we stray from church and the Lord. Maybe you can relate to the reason explained in the first verse of Toby Mac’s song…
For years, I’ve run the fast lane … And my treads are wearin’ thin … Left me on the shoulder, broken and pulled over … Alone in my skin … Some things weren’t my choosin’ … Sometimes, I led the charge … Chasin’ dreams, or so it seemed … Down on Fool’s Boulevard
Or maybe you’ve experienced something more like his words in the second verse…
My cup’s about as empty … As this wilderness I’m in … I lost my way with the loss of love … That came to a bitter end … So far from runnin’ over … So close to givin’ in … It’s gonna take the hands that made me … To make me whole again
No matter what the reason why you’ve missed a few (or a lot of) Sundays at church, you’re never too lost. No matter how many days you’ve missed your morning devotion or how long it’s been since you prayed, you’re never too far gone. If you’re feeling just plain lost and out of touch with God and/or your church family, let the words of this song’s chorus envelop your heart and mind…
I could use a little church right now … Love to have a little family around … I’ve been feelin’ so overwhelmed … I could use a little church right now … I can almost hear the choir singin’ … Back to when I was a child believin’ … That nobody’s too lost to get found … I could use a little church right now
If you’re at a place where you don’t know what your next move is, maybe you could use a little church right now. Visualize this as you read… A welcoming smile at the door, a friendly hello, and a beautiful church choir belting out encouraging words. A safe seat or pew to collapse into where you can sit and listen to Scripture being read and the truth of God’s Word being preached. Maybe the smell of coffee in the air. Could you use a little church right now?
Somebody out there might be thinking, Well, I tried church once, and it wasn’t all that welcoming of a place for me. If that’s the case, I am so sorry. Churches are filled with people, and as we know, people are sinful. Sinful, flawed people are unable to treat everybody they encounter with perfect love, grace, compassion and understanding. Even if you have had a difficult or hurtful church experience, maybe this is your nudge from the Lord to prayerfully jump back in. Ask God for guidance, and tune your heart and mind into the Holy Spirit’s prompting. Maybe the Spirit will encourage you to seek out a new church home where you can settle in, or maybe He will direct you to stay/return to the church family you’ve already been a part of, even if it has been challenging.
Or maybe, a person or conversation will be a starting point for you getting back into a regular worship routine. Church is never about the actual building; it’s about the people. I wonder if the Holy Spirit is nudging you to simply have a conversation or a coffee date with a believer you know could help you take the next step. Listen to these lyrics from Toby Mac:
It’s not about the four walls … Or that steeple up on top (no) … Ain’t talkin’ about them hard pews (ain’t about the hard pews) … Or that torn-up parkin’ lot (say it) … It could happen on a dirt road (it could happen on a dirt road) … Or a crowded coffee shop (crowded coffee shop) … Yeah, the church I need is the hands and feet … Of a God who came to love
The hands of feet of God are nearby to you, even if you can’t see or feel them right now. Ask God to bring them directly into your path—so much so that you absolutely cannot miss or avoid them. Then, open your mind and your heart. Have the courage to step back in (if you’ve left) … or to step in for the very first time. Nobody is too lost to get found. Could you use a little church right now?