" Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God." Psalms 146, vs 5 KJV
Nearly every week I am in some town other than the one I call home. As I drive around searching for a grocery store that I am supposed to work in, I pass many places that have on their marquee's "Happy Hour" begins at such and such time. Fast food places like Sonic, Arby's and others equate having a happy hour with getting cheap soft drinks or shakes or something like that. Other more "adult themed" places also sell drinks cheaper during Happy Hour and know that even if you feel worse when you leave, your money will make them happy.
So why is it, in my journeys, I have yet to see on a church marquee' any mention of "Happy Hour"? Instead there is some wise saying that comes from Readers' Digest, or these days from a website that will supply them with witty sayings, usually, not even from the Bible.
These church signs will also list times for Sunday School, Contemporary Worship service, or Praise Worship and Traditional Worship, Prayer meeting and Choir practice on Wednesday evening and kids programs that have to do with constructing little lives so they become little Christians. I would like to see at least once a church sign like the following: "Happy Hours, Sunday morning 8:30 and 11:00, Joyous learning experience at 9:45. Drinks, donuts and pastries FREE! "
So really, is there a Happy Hour in church?
I personally have been "doing church" ever since I can remember, and have been in the pew and on the stage, and to be honest, it seems that the only part of Sunday morning that qualifies for Happy Hour would be the Sunday School hour. That's the part where the food and fellowship happen.
Now, you may differ with me and say, "Dan, I'm always happy for an opportunity to worship God, and hear a good sermon and good music." Really, coulda fooled me. Not just me, even I fool me I think sometimes. Am I happy to be there with my fellow Christians listening to a sermon that sounds so familiar that I dismiss it because my mind is going other places? Or is it just that I am happy to be able to "practice" my faith and demonstrate that in America we can freely gather to worship.
I don't want to sound too harsh, but from the way church parking lots around every town look in the summer, it seems that Sunday morning Happy Hour is more in tune with the lake or baseball or kids having to be somewhere to further their future scholarship status. It seems all of these are happier places to be than at church worshiping the God who we turn to in crisis.
We say, "Please God, if you'll just take away this pain(bad situation, debt, consequence, etc,) I'll be happy to do whatever it is you want me to do. Please people.
Seriously, I have been looking in the mirror of me and can speak only from this spot on the planet that I occupy, and I have to admit to God and myself that being in church on Sunday morning isn't always a warm fuzzy. The reason for this I think is not that God is making me miserable by requiring me to be in church (He does you know, "...don't forsake the gathering together.), but again, as usual, my misery is due to my focus being a little off center, the center being Christ who lives in me. My off center is the focus being on, you guessed it, me being happy, the way I want to be happy. Because I'm focused on me, well, I want my way not Christ's way. So, back to Happy Hour. If there is any time I should be really happy, it is when I am in the presence of God, in the company of the saints in my local congregation. Why wouldn't it be? And that is the question, dear friends that I am going to leave you also to ponder.
My friend Tom(who does see worship in church as Happy Hour) loved to quote Psalm 122, vs 1 "I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord."
Peace, my friends.
