Friday, February 1st, 2013click here for past entriesWhy worship?
When it comes to reasons for people not to come to worship, I’ve heard quite a few. “I don’t need to come to church to be a good person.” “It’s my only day to sleep in.” “There are too many hypocrites there.” “I can believe in God without going to church.” And, in many cases, other things are simply considered to be more important.
However, all of this begs the question as to why we gather for worship in the first place. It’s certainly not because God needs it. It won’t earn us any brownie points that can be redeemed in heaven. And yet, from Old Testament times right up until today, God’s people have gathered together for worship.
At its heart, worship has to do with our relationship with God. While it is possible to spend time worshiping and praising God and praying all by ourselves, it is easy for our faith to become self-centered when we never interact with other Christians. It also becomes stale in a hurry without any new input from outside of ourselves.
One of the key commandments pointed to by Jesus is to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength” (Mk. 12:30). Part of this same commandment is to love your neighbour as yourself. How is it possible to love God with all that we have and all that we are and yet never take the time to worship?
This past June, an amazing thing happened to me at Tabgha on the Sea of Galilee: I was suddenly able to worship again – with heart and soul and mind and strength. This was possible because of a renewed relationship with God – renewed through confession and the announcement of God’s forgiveness. Once I had been thus renewed, I was grateful for every opportunity for worship that presented itself, whether a 7 am Communion service or a 5 am start for the way of the cross through Jerusalem. The early hour no longer mattered, because here was a chance to grow in my relationship with God.
Upon my return to Canada, I began to make room for as much worship as possible – daily worship out of the hymnal plus worship when others are leading as often as possible. While there are always some days that are more difficult than others, keeping the discipline of daily worship directs my heart and soul and mind and strength to God through the Scriptures and singing and prayer. It also provides the foundation for continuing to strengthen my relationship with God.
At the same time, there is that other part of Jesus’ Great Commandment that involves loving our neighbour as ourselves. Where better to learn how to do this than when gathering together with others for worship?
One of the presenters in the Lutheran Course talks about how when you invite Jesus into your heart he brings all his friends with him. In other words, loving Jesus means loving others as well. In any congregation, there are people who are different from us. Learning how to work together and worship together and love one another is no small task! Yet, the One who calls us into God’s family also continues to teach and empower. Thanks be to God!
In Christ,
Pastor Lynne Hutchison
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