Making Worship a Habit

Chuckle: “I suppose a fellow can worship on the golf course — but it’s almost as unhandy as playing golf in church.”

Quote: "To worship is to quicken the conscience by the holiness of God, to purge the imagination by the beauty of God, to open the heart to the love of God, and to devote the will to the purpose of God.” --Sir William Temple

MAKING WORSHIP A CUSTOM/HABIT

"He (Jesus) went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom." (Luke 4:16 NIV)

I'm amazed at how many "Christians" see little or no connection between public worship and their personal relationship with Jesus Christ. You hear such statements as: "I'm a Christian but not a part of any organized religion or church; or, I can worship God anywhere -- I don't have to worship in church." These and many other reasons (excuses) are offered to rationalize why some don't regularly attend worship services with God's people. However, such an attitude goes against the example Jesus set for us and other Biblical instructions. Dr. Mark Kemp had this to say:

"Regular worship with God's people is as important to our Christian journey as regular stops at the gas station are important when traveling across the country. (It is a lot cheaper and more filling to go to worship than the gas station!) To live the Christian life without taking time to fill our tank in worship and fellowship with God is a recipe for burn out. Jesus made time for both private prayer (But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed, Luke 5:16) and public worship, (Luke 4:16). If Jesus depended on these two great encounters with God to keep His tank filled and His life focused on the Father's purpose, how much more do we need to make both private prayer and public worship habitual in our lives."

Then, here are some additional instructions from Hebrews 10:24-25 NIV: "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 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 we see the Day approaching."

Besides the obvious benefits of public corporate worship, we encourage one another as we share love, understanding, and support for one another. There's nothing that can compare to the value of a gathering of God's people as they pray, sing, study God's Word, and minister to one another through warm and loving fellowship.

If you are out of the habit of worshiping with a church, please think and pray about getting involved anew in regular public worship. You will be blessed and strengthened and you will enrich the lives of those with whom you worship. There are six Biblical functions of a church: worship, evangelism, discipleship, prayer, ministry/missions, and fellowship. To follow Christ’s teachings, we should worship God by our active involvement in each of these church functions.

Love, Jerry & Dotse