There are some very good posts here and I agree with every one of you,but just let me add my take on this. I'm not nearly as "religious" as I once was,but several years ago I did not miss a service no matter what Twice on Sunday Tuesday prayer meeting and Wednesday night church. I was a younger man then and worked construction and sometimes worked 6 days a week. Our deer season is 7 days a Friday-Sunday then in 2 weeks a Thursday- Sunday. For years I thought of deer season as my vacation and would not be at church on Sunday morning,but was there Sunday
night.One pastor would give me a hard time about it ,but i didnt give it to much thought.We moved churches and the pastor there was an older guy and he never said a word to me about missing 2 Sundays a year to deer hunt. This pastor retired and a new one took over,and the very first deer season he was the pastor he preached hellfire and brimstone Sunday night for deer hunting on Sunday. We ended up talking about it and I agreed that I would not do it anymore. A few years went by and I found myself sitting in Sunday service,and wishing I was in the woods. Those few years that went by it seemed like the "new" pastor was very controlling.
A couple more years went by and that time of year was rolling around and I was really starting to wear on my mind. I talked to the Lord about it,I talked to some other brothers about it,and I even went ans talked to the pastor about it. I told him I knew what his wishes were but I didnt feel bad at all for being in the woods 2 Sundays a year,especially when the entire time I was sitting in church my mind was elsewhere. Well I went deer hunting ,and that evening guess who the sermon was about
I went home hurt and confused,but not sorry for what I had done. I prayed and ask the Lord for forgiveness IF I had done wrong and direction. Here is where I was led to...........When the Lord told Elijah to go up on the mountain. There was wind.......and rain.....then an earthquake that broke the rocks.......after the earthquake a fire.........but the Lord was not in any of those things.........but at the end there was a still small voice,and thats were the Lord was.( Short version of course)
I believe this is one of those things that is personal conviction,and I would not push what I feel is right for me on anyone else,because it may be different for you.
