Perfect Attendance

Perfect Attendance:  An honor bestowed upon a student at the end of the school year if said student has gone to school every day of the school year - without fail.  Parents take pride in the status.  Bumper stickers get stuck on the family mini van (or other vehicle) bumper.

I don't ever remember getting perfect attendance.  My children haven't either.  That's okay with me.  Not that I would advocate deliberately missing days school just because, but because it means my children are involved in lots of school and extra-curricular activities.....plus there are a few sick days in there, as well (thankfully not many this year!).

There was a school teacher - now retired - who bragged and continues to brag about his 30 plus years of perfect attendance.  I'm not sure I would brag about going to work with high temperatures and flu-like symptoms, since said teacher shared his viruses with no telling how many other colleagues!

What if perfect attendance awards were handed out for worship attendance?  Would you get one?  Does it matter?  Sadly, I think that many Christians believe that God is going to ask for their attendance card on judgement day.  When God asks, the perfect-attendance card holder will proudly hold up their card and say, "See all of my check marks?  Not one is missing, God!"  At that point, what do you think God will say?  I'll let you think about that answer on your own.

Is attendance at worship important?  Yes!  It is absolutely, extremely important!  But, it's not important for the sake of checking of an attendance list.  It's not important for making sure a certain pew seat is filled at each service.  What makes it important is our relationship with God and His church and our attitude towards it.  It's about our heart. Think of it this way:  Why would you or I deliberately miss worship services?  What is important enough that it would keep up from coming together with our brothers and sisters in Christ and worshipping our God and our Savior?  And, apparently the church was important enough for God that He gave His Son up to die on a cross for it, so I'm thinking He expects it to be important to us, as well.

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.

Ephesians 5:25

But, aside from worship together as the church, worship must also be a daily, individual thing.  Faithfulness is a daily requirement not just a Sunday or Sunday/Wednesday thing.  Actually if it was just a Sunday or Sunday/Wednesday thing, it would be a lot easier, wouldn't it???!  We wouldn't ever have to think about how we act on the other five or six days of the week.  We wouldn't have to watch our words, attitudes, and responses on those days.  I might could make it for one or two days without sinning - well, maybe.  Well, maybe not.

But be sure to fear the LORD and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you.

1 Samuel 12:24

There is someone who always has perfect attendance.  He never fails to be where He says He will be.  In fact, He's always at work - never gets a day off.  But, I don't think He would want a day off either.  He loves His children too much.  God is always faithful.  Faithful in His love.  Faithful in His patience.  Faithful in His grace and mercy and forgiveness.  He doesn't just show up once or twice a week.  He's there - 24/7 and 365.  Thank you, God, for your perfect attendance!

God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

1 Corinthians 1:9