Why does the church meet together?

I want to offer what I believe is the biggest reason the church meets together and
why those who follow Jesus Christ should make it a habit to regularly meet with a local church gathering.

My personal and family devotional time this morning helped remind of this reason.

This month we are starting The New City Catechism with our family.  
So this morning I asked each person on their own to 

• read the passage, Romans 14:7, 8, that is connected with the first question/answer (Q: "What is our only hope in life and death?"  A: "That we are not our own but belong to God.")
• think about how this verse connects with going to a church service.  

Here is the passage.

Now I gave this assignment to my family before reading July 2nd's New Morning Mercies.  Here are two quotes from this devotional.

Corporate worship is designed to turn your heart from the shadow glories of creation to the one glory that will satisfy it.

Life is only ever found in what all those earth-bound glories point to - a God of awesome glory who is the source and giver of life; life that satisfies and remains forever. 

After doing my assignment, giving it to my family and then reading New Morning Mercies, I wrote the following in my journal (Just to let you know, when almost all of my journal entries are written as prayers to God).   

God, In reading Romans 14:7, 8 and today's New Morning Mercies, I am reminded that my life, church and corporate worship are not about me and my wants and my comforts.  

It is first and foremost about YOUR GLORY.  Help me remember that.  

Then I was reminded of this song that declares this truth.




As many of you know our family is in the midst of a big transition.
I am thankful for God's reminder that my life and my ministry are not about me!

So my closing questions for you are not...
Did you enjoy church this morning?
or
Did you have fun this morning?  (You know this is the question many parents asked their kids this morning)

But rather...
Did you glorify God this morning?
and
How were you challenged to be more Christ-like?