Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

-
The Blessings of a Worshipping Community
               “Better is one day in your courts, than a thousand elsewhere…” (84:10)

 As God’s children, it is our natural desire to praise, honor, and worship Him for everything that He does for us in our lives. This is highlighted in Psalm 84:2 as the psalmist ‘yearns’ and even ‘faints’ for the courts of the Lord. We want to praise and worship the Lord God for being our Creator, our Sustainer, and our Provider and the only true comfort and strength guiding us through all the situations we experience in our lives. The problem in today’s context is that we become so busy with our daily responsibilities of family, school, work, etc… that this important and blessed experience of worshipping God in spirit and in truth loses its place and priority. Psalms 84 reminds us what a true blessing it is to worship our Lord and to be in His presence, especially in a worshipping community. Why wouldn’t we want to experience this blessing?

“Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you” (Psalm 84:4). Through our words, songs, and prayers we are focusing on God and submitting to Him the praise and honor He is worthy of. The plurality of this verse highlights the importance of the community aspect of worship. The blessings of worship are experienced when His children come together and collectively submit prayers and praise not only for what He has done in our lives as individuals, but what He has done through us a worshipping community.

“Better is one day in your courts, than a thousand elsewhere…” (Psalms 84:10) Out of seven days in the week, we have the opportunity to come together at least one day into the house of the Lord and experience the blessings being part of a worshipping community, a community whose focus is on the Lord through worship and experiences the blessings of the Lord (Psalm 84:11). As the psalmist highlighted, it’s better to have the opportunity to have one day in the Lord’s house then being elsewhere. How many of us really take advantage of the opportunity that God has provided us to be able to be part of a worshipping community? During this lent time, let us examine whether we are taking advantage of opportunity that God is providing us to experience His blessings as part of a worshipping community and in turn be a blessing to those around us.
Prayer:
Lord, help us to experience the blessings of a worshipping community and share those blessing with those around us. Amen
 
Ashley & Liza George, St. Peter’s MTC, NJ
 
 

 

Popular posts from this blog

Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

-
  Constant, patient and welcoming love of God   St. Luke 15: 11-32  V.21: And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ The parable of the ‘Prodigal son’ is one of the most frequently quoted parables that Jesus told His disciples. The parable contains the rich mine of human virtues and emotions. This parable is lived and re-lived in progressing civilizations from time immemorial and continuing. It brings out in vivid detail the pathetic depth of human sinfulness and the glorious heights of God’s forgiveness.      As a story of human nature, fathers are generally merciful to their children in any circumstance. They are very protective and are eager to provide for and secure the lives of their offspring. Jesus is telling this parable to underscore the superlative love of God to His children. The nature of such love is reiterated by Jesus in Matthew 7:11. Humankind who are evil by nature, give good gifts t
Read more

Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

-
PRIESTHOOD: THE ANOINTED MINISTRY Exodus 40:12-16 Bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting... wash them with water. Then dress Aaron in the sacred garments, anoint him and consecrate him so he may serve me as priest (Exodus 40: 12-13). Priesthood among the people of God was a divine command and initiation. God wanted some people to be separated for the special ministry among his people. God appointed Aaron and his descendants to take up this kind of ministry among the people of God. Priests are always separated and appointed as channels that connect God with his people. All throughout the history of Israel, priests played an important role in connecting people with God and to lead and guide them in the statutes of God. But there are incidents in the Bible where the priests failed in their duties and that led the people to go away from God. So the priests have a special and significant ministry to perform in this world among his people. Two important things
Read more

Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

-
Revelation for Liberation Acts 27:18-26 Sherine Thomas Long Island MTC, NY 20  When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest raged, all hope of our being saved was at last abandoned. “After winter comes the summer.  After night comes the dawn.  And after every storm, there comes clear open skies” so said a Scottish clergyman from the 1600s. It’s been said, that hope can sometimes be the most dangerous weapon.  However, it’s sometimes the hardest weapon to carry when you’re living with the loss of a loved one, something that almost feels like a terrible nightmare that’ll never go away.  It’s a weapon difficult to carry when day in and day out no one seems to hear or see those tears that are shed or silent cries that are made during a heartfelt prayer. It’s a weapon difficult to carry as you see your loved one lying on that hospital bed.  It’s a weapon difficult to carry as you search and seek out answers to tell a child as to why they’ve been a
Read more