The first day of the week (Sunday) has certainly changed for many Christians experiencing lockdowns. And setting time aside for worship, albeit online, has brought its own set of challenges. When it first became necessary to stream worship services, many Christians, although disappointed they could not meet as a fellowship of believers for mutual encouragement, made the effort to make Sunday worship special.

They recognized that their faithful God and Saviour was worthy of their worship, albeit at home, perhaps sitting on the couch watching a PC or TV screen. Some would even make the special effort to get dressed in their Sunday best, and make sure they worship with the rest of their fellow believers at the designated time.

We also need to add that some people who had never darkened the inside of a church building were now listening to the gospel in their lounge rooms. There have been several reports from Christian churches where people have responded to the gospel and now regularly come to corporate worship where restrictions around lockdowns have eased. What a great blessing that has been to many and we rejoice with them.

However, for some Christians, lockdowns and joining a Sunday worship online has become a reason for being rather ‘slack’ about worship. Instead of getting up on time and making sure they worship online with their fellow believers, they now can sleep-in a little longer. Some reason that they can do ‘church’ whenever they are ready, even later in the afternoon or the next day if need be. And sometimes, they just skip worship altogether. But who’s to know, after all, no one is keeping watch.

There are church leaders who are very concerned that after several months of lockdowns and online services, some Christians are falling between the cracks as far as setting time aside for worship is concerned. What was initially a novelty for them has become very routine and even boring. As a result, some families and individuals are not returning to corporate worship even though lockdowns have eased.

Perhaps it is time for a Sunday reboot. Just as we need to reset or ‘reboot’ the PC or tablet or mobile phone when it gets a little sluggish in performance, to clean out the ‘cache’ from all the clutter and free up memory so it works better, the same might apply to us as Christians.

As restrictions ease around lockdowns, it might be good for us to have a ‘reboot’ on what really matters again in life. Perhaps our cache needs to be cleaned out of all the junk we have been exposed to during lockdowns and consider afresh what God has done for us in Christ. Perhaps we need to free up memory and realize afresh that we were headed for destruction for we were not performing as our Maker designed us. Perhaps we need to appreciate anew that if it were not for God’s grace to us in Christ and the powerful Holy Spirit working in us, we would only be fit for the junk heap.

As restrictions ease around lockdowns, may we look forward to meeting together again and not neglect that wonderful opportunity to worship our Lord and Saviour together, and even more as we see the Day dawning. And if it takes a ‘reboot’ so be it. JZ.