Worship God (Daily Encouragement)
If you are a follower of Christ, or even if you are not, you know that gathering on Sunday is historically ONE of the primary things christians do. It is always a helpful practice to look at and remember the “why” of what you do. As we can see through cultural studies, there is a drift to “not gather together” which the scriptures warn against (Hebrews 10:23-25). Eugene Peterson said that when people tell him why they don’t participate in gathering with other Christians for worship, he prays “that person will one day find the one sufficient reason for going to church, which is God.”
The primary reason we gather is to experience God – to know Him, enjoy Him, remember Him to be reminded of His Ways.
Worship brings celebration of God. We celebrate the good news of what God has accomplished in rescuing and redeeming His people through his son Jesus Christ. In Luke 4:18-19 Jesus announced what he came to accomplish and what we celebrate:
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
In a world of hostility, alienation, fear, isolation, and danger, we gather each Sunday to be reminded that Jesus has brought peace, acceptance, joy, fellowship and security through our relationship with Him.
At the deepest level, it is what believers themselves need: a secure, restful, curative (healing) fellowship, a ‘time out’ from the world, not negatively, an escapist withdrawal, but positively a re-charging of batteries. – Alec Motyer
So each Sunday we gather to enjoy God, remember his ways and live the rest of the week in light of Him.
In what ways does gathering for worship help you experience God?