The story is told about a teenage boy who needed some hygiene instruction. His mom bought him some deodorant and gave him the typical “mother talk” about why he needed to start wearing it. The next morning, she found him standing in front of the bathroom mirror smearing deodorant all over his body. When she asked him what he was doing, this was his reply: “I am putting on enough so I don’t have to do this every day.”
While this story is funny to us, it is representative of the way some people feel about attending worship. They feel they get enough on Sunday morning to last them all week. We hear things like: “I come on Sunday morning. That’s all I need.” Some say, “The Bible doesn’t say we have to go to church three times a week.” Then there is the opposition to Bible Study, because that is not commanded; and besides, they would have to get up an hour earlier to get there.”
We hear things like that from our children. I have children say, “I couldn’t get my lesson because we were gone a lot this week.” “I had ball practice or ball games.” “I left my notebook at my grandparents’ house.” Occasionally I hear, “I just didn’t do it.” In other words, it just wasn’t important enough to do.
We need to look at the examples we have in the New Testament. When Pentecost was over, Luke tells us that the new Christians continued daily to study and worship God (Acts 2:48). They met at the temple, and they also went from house to house, eating together and praising God.
These people also cared for one another. They sold their possessions to share with those who had stayed in Jerusalem. They opened their homes to them. Their new-found faith was a priority. They wanted to learn.
Just as the boy’s deodorant needed to be used more than once, the studying of God’s Word needs to be read and studied more than once a week. Paul said, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (Second Timothy 2:15).
One of the reasons the people of Israel rejected God was because of a lack of studying God’s commands. The people were told to teach their children “diligently.” They were to talk to them constantly about the Lord’s commandments (Deuteronomy 6:6-7). The kings were told to copy the law. There is no indication they did. That’s why when Josiah heard the law read, he tore his clothes. It was news to him!
How are we going to learn what God wants us to do if we do not study His Word? We can’t unless we read it or have someone to teach us. We aren’t going to learn it sitting at the ball field, watching it online between eating breakfast and having our second cup of coffee.
The writer of Hebrews said, “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works; not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries” (Hebrews 10:24-26).
The boy needed a daily application of deodorant to keep from smelling bad. We need a constant reminder of the teachings of Scripture and the meeting together of the saints to study and learn what God would have us to do.
Sandra Oliver