We spend a lot of weekends in nature...and not in church. I'd like to say that my spiritual life has only been enhanced by all this time in nature, but that isn't completely true. It's more like I just don't feel bad about being in nature and climbing, hiking 14ers, etc. on the Sabbath. But honestly I don't get the same spiritual nourishment as I do going to church; I feel like I lose some connection to my spiritual life...or maybe I just feel this way if I'm never going to church (like right now). The problem is, if I were to only go to church on Sabbath and miss out on our nature weekends, I know I would feel trapped and would secretly be resentful.
When I was in college, all of this wasn't much of an issue. My friends and I had plenty of outdoor activities we loved to do in no more than an hour away from our homes. We could go to church (usually the wonderfully early Spanish church), then head off towards the rock or river. Nature, social, and spiritual yearnings satiated. Since that time I've lived in places where that isn't really feasible. And well, I love road tripping, seeing new places, and all of our friends live in other parts of the state. So traveling off we go.
But I've felt myself drifting spiritually, and I think there needs to be some sort of balance. How badly and how often do we humans need to be involved in collective worship?
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Heh, I could do a whole blog post about the baggage we've put upon our Day of Rest, but I'll keep it succinct. Remember that the Bible never commands anyone to go to church on the Sabbath. The original instructions are merely to rest every seven days. At least back in Israel nation times, you went to temple to sacrifice, and that was whenever it needed to happen. Any day of the week.
It's only after the first diaspora that synagogues start meeting on the rest day. And I'd bet that's more because it was the only day possible to see all the Jewish people in that city. This tradition will be proudly carried into the Christian dogma until you have your situation, where it feels odd not to be in church, yet you know you are feeding your spirit.
So get your corporate worship another time. There's no rule that it must be at 9:00 am on Saturday sanctioned by an ordained minister. Even Jesus said it only takes two or three people. Find your community and embrace it, but please don't feel that Saturday hold a monopoly on the Grace of God.
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