When I come to worship, I have the privilege of being in the presence of other Christians with whom I share a like precious faith (2 Peter 1:1). When we cheerfully gather together, I am stirred up unto love and good works by our service together (Heb. 10:24-5) and may perhaps be an encouragement to others.
When I sing, I hear and speak words of great meaning. They reach out like a sermon across the assembly teaching and admonishing all who are old enough to understand. "What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus." "More purity give me, more strength to overcome, more freedom from earth stains, more longings for home, more fit for the kingdom, more useful I'd be, more blessed and holy, more Saviour like Thee." It is no more right to sing wrong doctrine than speak wrong doctrine. Paul said to sing with understanding (1 Cor. 14:15).
When I pray, God has told me to come boldly before the throne of heaven and expect to receive mercy and grace in my time of need (Heb. 4:16). His ears are open to my prayers ( 1 Peter 3:12) and the fervent prayers of His children are as a sweet smell rising before Him (Rev. 5:8, 8:3-4).
When I gather with the church on the Lord's day and bring a gift of money for the Lord, I am following the words of the Lord given to the churches of old (1 Cor. 16:1-2). When I give willingly and cheerfully from the desire of my heart, I know that this is especially pleasing to God (2 Cor. 9:7).
When the time has come to share in the Lord's supper, in my mind I return to the time when I "see from His head, His hands, His feet, sorrow and love flow mingling down." I am forced to ask, "Why did my Saviour come to earth and to the humble go?" "Why did He drink the bitter cup of sorrow, pain and woe?" And there is an answer, "because He loved me so."
Soon the time has come for admonition and I remember that Jesus said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'" (Mat. 4:4) So strive to be like the noble Bereans who "received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so." (Acts 17:11).
Filled with all of these thoughts, quickly it is time to go home. I look forward to another day for "I was glad when they said to me, 'Let us go into the house of the LORD.'" (Psalms 122:1).
- Tim Orbison
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