As we talked he expressed the opinion that he would not be coming to church for very much longer. I asked him why that was and he told me that he didn't feel that he got very much out of church. I got the impression that really what he was saying was that the payback wasn't worth the effort it took.
That got me thinking. It made me think of all the things I get from being a member of this church. I felt straight away that I couldn't relate at all to what he was saying and since that time I have been thinking about why.
Is it because I don't find it much effort?
No.
I'm at church for 3 hours every sunday, often teaching a class that I have had to prepare during the week. I also spend nearly 2 hours at church on Tuesdays where I help to run the Young Women's programme so we put on an activity for the 12-17 year old girls (there are around 12 girls in our area). On Thursdays more often than not I'm at church for Institute which is part of the Church Education System where we learn more about the gospel of Christ as a group of 18-30 year old singles. Thus, in a week I spend around 7 hours at church. Add to that time spent preparing lessons and Tuesday night activities, that easily makes 8 hours.
Most days I also spend 30 minutes reading the scriptures- at the moment I'm reading the Book of Mormon but earlier this year I read the Doctrine and Covenants and before that the New Testament.
Weekly that makes the total up to 11.5 hours. That's without the time spent praying or at additional firesides on a Sunday night; and that doesn't count the social YSA activities either and I go to at least one of those a month, often many more.
I'm not recording this to brag of my righteousness- not at all. Most members of the church put in these kind of hours, if not much much more. The role of a Bishop, for example, is almost never-ending.
The point is that it takes up a lot of effort and a great deal of time. Yet, I never feel that I am giving more to the Lord then I get back from Him. I've never felt that at all- because out of the 168 hours in the week, and of the around 120 hours I spend awake I cannot begrudge Him a second of that time. Those hours are given to me week after week. He is responsible for the very fact that I am still breathing. If that isn't reason for gratitude enough, His hand very often appears in my life. He calms and soothes my soul.
In church we give 10% of our income to the Lord- a tithing. I cannot tell you how straight forward and simple this seems to me because of all the things He gives to me that my money could never buy. Can we go to a shop and purchase peace? Forgiveness? The opportunity to be more than we are? A change of heart? Abilities to deal with situations that we did not know we ever could deal with?
I meet incredible people through being a member of this church that inspire me so much every day. I've met true friends. I've been able to improve myself and constantly have a hope that I can get better and better as time goes on rather than being set in my ways. I'm grateful to the Lord. I see Him in nature, in kinds words and just my ability to go on when things could seem hopeless. This life is a turbulent thing and He provides us with the anchor that we need to make sure that we don't just follow exactly what the cruel winds have in store for us.
The key is being able to humbly admit that we are not self-sufficient; He is reaching out to us and if we reach back He will help us fashion our lives in such a way that when we stand back and look at the work we are amazed at the outcome. Every ounce of effort is worth it and is required because the Saviour always gave us 100% of what He could do. He loved and served to His utmost, atoned for all the sins of the world despite the agony of it and finally made the sacrifice of His life.
For someone who has done that for us what would be asking too much?
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