Sunday, June 17, 2001
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Sunday, June 17, 2001 |
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The summer slump By DR. KNOX HERNDON
No matter where you go or what church you are affiliated with, you will always hear the term "summer slump." This is something I have never understood, yet we all see it. I realize that people have had a long winter and the kids have had a rough year in school and we are all appreciative of the warmer weather, but there is something basically wrong with this "summer slump" idea. This "summer slump" seems to be a time when people just totally drop out of their spiritual habits, spiritual growth and totally put themselves right in the center of the universe. They drop out of church like they are supposed to when the weather hits a certain temperature. It appears to be a time when all the bad habits of life are nurtured and watered. I also realize that people need to and like to take a vacation with their families. I also very much like to do this, but what if God got a case of the summer slump? What if God just got a good case of the summer slump and quit interacting with us and quit listening to our prayers? After all, it is summer, you know. And what if he stopped painting the sunsets and numbering the stars and decided to let gravity take a break, just for the summer? What if he quit dealing with our relationships with our families and with other nations? What if he quit sending the great comforter, the Holy Spirit, to convict us of the sins in our lives and what if the Holy Spirit was on summer break and no one was saved? If tomorrow morning you wake up and are able to communicate in any way, or to walk, or speak, or type, or even move, then you're able to do God's year long fall, winter, spring and, yes, summer bidding. I can certainly tell you that you are not supposed to go into some kind of "summer slump trance" and drop out of your church and drop your spiritual habits and life and live only for self, just because it's summer! No one loves a cottage in the mountains more than I. Our family had one for the past ten years, but when it got to be God's day, we were in church. There is no hobby or sport or job or amount of money that is going to keep me or my family out of church on Sunday. I can further promise you that if a sport or hobby meets on Sunday and it's keeping you out of church, then you need to find a new hobby or a new sport or a new life-style. I get the lamest excuses you have ever heard for not being in God's house on Sundays, and especially in the summer. I see Christian parents that will walk in and sign up a child for a summer sport and think nothing of the child missing church and youth group to insure he or she plays on the team. Parents, the messages are clear very clear. First things first! I also see parents assist their children in taking jobs that will totally conflict with their spiritual lives money over their spiritual lives and Christ's bride, the church. A great cure for the summer slump is a good dose of summer dedication and involvement in your church. God will bless you for it. The Rev. Dr. Knox Herndon is the pastor of His House Community Church (SBC) and a former Army chaplain. The church has moved to its new location just below Senoia on Ga. Highway 85, a mile south of Ga. Highway 16 below the fire station. Visitors are welcome. Church office and prayer line number is 770-719-2365. E-mail address is KHERN2365@aol.com.
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