THE JOY OF WORSHIPPING TOGETHER

 

Hebrews 10:25

Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

                This past Sunday we attended church with our son and daughter-in-law. Our granddaughter was being dedicated as a part of the service. The church was full. The worship was dynamic. The message was challenging and encouraging. At some point during the service, I realized how much I have missed genuine corporate worship. Worship on-line has been a necessary step over the past year, but it is not a substitute for gathering together with others in corporate worship.

                There is power in corporate worship that we just can’t experience on our own. The presence of the Spirit is far more tangible when the body of Christ is assembled. There is an energy that permeates the entire experience.

                Corporate worship reminds us that we are not alone on our journey of faith. I have read too many articles lately about the decline of the church in America. Sunday reminded me that Christ’s Church is still alive and vital. We are part of something bigger than ourselves. Nothing, including COVID, can stop the forward flow of the Church as it seeks to pursue God with all of its heart.

                Corporate worship also reminds us that we really do need each other. As Paul reminds us in I Corinthians 12, we are a part of the body of Christ, not independent agents for God. The body of Christ is made up of many parts, and every part is necessary. No part can stand alone. We need each other to accomplish God’s purposes. God’s design is for us to live in an interdependent relationship with one another.

                Corporate worship also allows us to experience the joy of the Lord. We can experience His joy in many ways and at different times. But our experience is intensified in corporate worship. King David, a man who has enjoyed a unique intimacy with God, expressed his joy in being able to enter into corporate worship. I rejoiced with those who said to me, "Let us go to the house of the Lord." (Psalm 122:1)  

                Corporate worship gives us the courage and the strength to live out our faith in our daily lives. We are reminded of the truths of scripture and helped to apply them to our experience. We draw strength from other believers who are facing similar situations as we are. We discover that God is a refuge for the weak, the scared, the confused, and the weary. As Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-30, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

                Many pundits are predicting that up to 20% of people who attended church before COVID will not return. I want to challenge you not to be one of them. As the writer of Hebrews says, we need each other more than ever because the days are evil. Corporate worship is a significant aspect of our faith journey. Without it we can soon grow weary and give up the race.

Psalm 27:4-5

One thing I ask of the Lord,

this is what I seek:

that I may dwell in the house of the Lord

all the days of my life,

to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord

and to seek him in his temple.

For in the day of trouble

he will keep me safe in his dwelling;

he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle

and set me high upon a rock.