Whew…we’ve finally made it to summer! The grass is green, the flowers are in bloom, the temperature is getting warmer. It all rather reminds me of the story of a Saturday afternoon not too long ago when two church members bumped into each other at the grocery store, a younger man, and one of the elders of the congregation. The younger man asked the elder, “Would it be a sin to play golf on Sunday morning?” To which the elder replied, “I’ve seen you play. It would be a sin any day of the week.”

In any event, after a brief conversation, the two decided to skip church the next morning and to play 18 holes.

The next day, once they got to the first tee, the elder feeling a little guilty, suggested that since it was Sunday morning, that they agree to keep a check on their language. They did pretty well on the front nine, but then while putting on the 10^th green, the young man missed a three-foot putt and shouted a swear word, followed by “I can’t believe I missed!” The elder scolded the young man for using vulgar language on a Sunday morning.

On the very next hole, the young man missed a two-foot putt, and again shouted a swear word, followed by “I missed!” The elder again scolded the young man and warned him that God might strike him down with a bolt of lightning.

Then on the next hole, the young man missed a one-foot putt, and you guessed it, shouted a profane word, followed by “I can’t believe I missed!”

All of a sudden, a tremendous bolt of lightning comes down from a cloud and strikes the elder! Unexpectedly there’s a voice from heaven, “I can’t believe I missed!”

Of course, this is a purely fictional account, I’m certain no one from Emanuel would ever skip church to play golf!

All joking aside, as we enter the summer months, we will be tempted to skip worship in order to spend what time we can outside before the weather changes back into winter. I get it. However, the Third Commandment isn’t a suggestion…it’s a commandment. “Thou shall remember the Sabbath Day by keeping it holy.” Of course, we understand that the Sabbath was established in order to provide busy people a time for spiritual rest through worship, fellowship, and devotion to God’s Word, and that it’s not the specific day that’s important, but rather that we make being with God a priority. That we actually set some time aside to be with our fellow Christians and that we place ourselves in contact with the Lord’s Means of Grace for the strengthening of our faith, the forgiveness of our sins, and encouragement for the week. The Catechism states it this way, “We fear and love God by not despising or neglecting His Word and Sacraments.”

So, as we enter the summer months and we hear the enticement of the golf course, park, lake, etc. let us not to forget to make God a priority…after all…he made us His priority by sending Jesus to suffer and die to atone for our sins. And if you can’t make it to church on Sunday, don’t forget we have Monday night services at 6:30 in Old St. John’s log-cabin-church from June through August.

Until next month….

Pastor Roloff