Worship

“Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.” — Psalm 95:6

Worship: In two thousand years, we still haven’t worked out all the kinks. We struggle for the right words in prayer. We fumble over Scripture. We don’t always know when to kneel or when to stand. Sometimes we aren’t even sure how to pray. Worship can feel like a daunting task. For that reason, God gave us the Psalms—a praise book for His people. This collection of hymns and petitions is strung together by one common thread: a heart hungry for God. Some psalms are defiant. Others are reverent. Some are meant to be sung; others whispered in prayer. Some are intensely personal; others seem written for the whole world to proclaim. Their very variety reminds us that worship is personal. There is no secret formula. What moves one person may leave another unmoved. Each of us worships differently. But each of us is called to worship. — The Worshipful Heart, The Inspirational Study Bible (Max Lucado)

Friends, Recently, I preached on “The Church,” based on Acts 2:41 and following. We explored the nature of the Church—what the word “Church” really means. It will mean different things to different people. Still, we can agree that the Church is a gathering of people who come together in the name of God—and one of the most important things we do together is worship. In Acts 2, we see several traits of the early Church: A people who received the Word—gladly (v. 41) A people who continued—steadfastly (v. 42) A people who stirred souls with holy awe (v. 43) A people who were together—sharing in ministry (vv. 44–45) A people who were unified (v. 46) A people who worshiped and praised God—daily (vv. 46–47)

What matters most is that we worship God—hearing the Word gladly, remaining faithful to our commitments, sharing in ministry, living in unity, and praising God together. Worship is personal, as Lucado says. I agree. We learn to worship at different seasons of life. I cannot remember a time when I was not in church on Sundays. Even when life around me was difficult… even when the church itself faced financial or administrative challenges… worship remained a steady influence. Some stop attending church for various reasons. Some reasons are understandable. Others reflect a need for a season of stepping back. Yet at its heart, church is about relationship—our relationship with God and with one another. Only God is perfect. The church is not. And yet we continue to gather. We come hoping to hear a word of love, hope, encouragement, salvation—of Jesus. We come to be reminded and challenged to live out the will of God (Matthew 7:21). So, I look forward to seeing you Sunday. Let us come—not just to attend church—but to be the Church.   Blessings from Pottsboro, Pastor Frank (alegria@lakewayumc.org)