Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness. (Psalm 29:2) We were created that we might be worshipers of the Most High God. As believers, we need to keep in mind the distinction between worship as a way of life and what we do when we gather here on the Lord’s Day. As a way of life we are to present ourselves to God as a living and holy sacrifice (Romans 12:1). Worship isn’t just about coming to a church service, it encompasses our whole lives and affects all that we do – but it also includes the way we worship and respond in a corporate setting.
Our worship services here at LifePoint are of vital importance to the spiritual health of each of us individually and to us collectively. But genuine worship does not happen automatically just because we walk through the doors of the church building, it takes preparation. We must spend time beforehand preparing our hearts and minds for worship.
I’d like to suggest a few things that can help each of us be more prepared and focused each week as we come together to worship. For starters, our preparation should begin at home – on Saturday. Plan your Saturday evenings with Sunday morning worship in mind. Don’t make it a habit of purposely staying up so late that you have a hard time getting up on Sunday mornings or end up fighting sleepiness when you get here. Make it a priority to arrive with enough time before the beginning of the service so that you are not rushed. Spend a few moments before the service begins to consider and remind yourself just how awesome God is and to have a sense of awe and humility before our Maker as we enter into worship together. Meditating on the characteristics of God inspires us to worship. For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods. (Psalm 96:4) Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. (Psalm 150:2) When we contemplate the transcendence of God’s nature, our response will be to truly worship Him. And be sure to stay through the completion of the service – don’t miss the opportunity to respond to the preaching of God’s word by singing songs of praise together.
Another way you can prepare for Sunday morning worship at LifePoint is to familiarize yourself with the songs that we’ll be singing together. You can find the list of songs each week in this church newsletter as well as in the Worship section on the LifePoint website. I am also creating a Spotify playlist each week with the songs so you can listen to versions of the songs that are similar to how we will sing them, and you can find this link in the same places as the list of songs each week.
Worship should be a believer’s instinctive response to the Lord, but true worship also requires thoughtful and disciplined effort. Worship is an active response to God whereby we declare His worth. Worship is not passive but participative. Worship is not simply a mood; it is a response. Worship is not just a feeling; it is a declaration. Ultimately, worship is a spiritual activity, so let’s pray that the Holy Spirit will enable us to worship in a manner that is God honoring each time we gather. John 4:23 tells us the hour is here when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the father is seeking such people to worship him. Would LifePoint Church be filled with these kinds of people!
Worshiping together,
Pastor David
