In it for the long haul

I'm think about loyalty this morning. Who is loyal to the church any more? People don't really want to join the thing because, well, they're not joiners. People don't want to have their names on things. They want to come when they want to come.

It's not about the church itself. It's about joining. People don't want to register as one political party person or another. They want to vote for the person, in some ways like some want to "vote" for the pastor. If they like them, so be it. The vote is in. In the church the vote comes with the feet in the door.

In the 11th chapter of Romans, Paul asks this (in the Message): "Do you remember that time Elijah was agonizing over this same Israel and cried out in prayer? God, they murdered your prophets; they trashed your altars; I'm the only one left and now they're after me?

"And do you remember God's answer? "I still have seven thousand who haven't quit. Seven thousand who are loyal to the finish."

For some loyalty is still the greatest of issues. For some, it's about doing the next right thing every time to the best of their ability. For some it's about being in "it" for the long-haul.

And for some it's not.Where are you on loyalty? Where are you on joining? How do you feel about professing your faith?