I was glad when they said unto me, “let us go to the House of the Lord.”

-Psalm 122:1

Here in America, there seem to be many who take church for granted. Anything can be an excuse for not gathering with God's people on Sunday morning. I found in Russia, where Christians know firsthand about churches being closed and still under the government's watchful eye, that Sunday in church was to be cherished. J. C. Ryle encourages us to do the same when he writes,

“I am no admirer of gloomy religion. Let no one suppose that I want Sunday to be a day of sadness and unhappiness. I want every Christian to be a happy man: I wish him to have “joy and peace in believing,” and to “rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” I want everyone to regard Sunday as the brightest, cheerfulest day of all the seven; and I tell everyone who finds such a Sunday as I advocate, a wearisome day, that there is something sadly wrong with the state of his heart.”

May we find Sunday to be our “brightest, cheerfulest day" as we have what many believers in the world do not have, the freedom and privilege to come together and "rejoice in the hope of the glory of God." Be encouraged!

Scripture References: Psalm 122:1