The Gathering - Part Thirteen

Last week we started a three week series from the Psalms entitled "Greatly To Be Praised." This title comes from Psalm 96:4 which declares, "Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised!" We have been talking about why we gather together each week and in the last few posts have been focusing in on the aspect of celebrating the communion that is possible with God. Celebrate! I think I know how to celebrate. When my team scores a touchdown, when someone I love has a birthday, when the hero of the story comes in and saves the day. But is my best celebration given to God? Most often not. I hold back. I am sorry to say, I at times just go through the motions. Why is that? Mark Carey quoted C.S. Lewis last week.

“We delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment; it is its appointed consummation. It is not out of compliment that lovers keep on telling one another how beautiful they are; the delight is incomplete till it is expressed.”

Mark also shared from Psalm 117 a pattern that shows up in many of the Psalms - there is a "call to praise" and a "cause for praise." I think we often understand that we have been called to worship. I think that's why we show up. However, the cause for praise is often what we forget. Praise for our sports team or a good meal just comes natural to us because we have enjoyed watching or eating and as Lewis stated this praise completes our enjoyment. I think the reason that our greatest praise is not given to God is because we have not come to know Him like we ought. If we really knew Him we could not help but to praise. It would be our obsession, as I believe it will be in Heaven. So how do we get to know Him? We give attention to His Word. This becomes part of the third reason why we gather. To soak in God's Word so that we know Him more fully. We will take a look at this next time.

"Father, may You be to One who receives our greatest praise and may that praise be great, for You alone are great! As we gather this week, may our focus be given over to You, the object of our praise. May we take great joy in the expression of our delight in You. Amen."

Songs for Our Gathering this Week:

Psalm 100

     by Chris Tomlin | Jason Ingram

O For A Thousand Tongues To Sing

     by Charles Wesley

One Thing Remains 

     by Brian Johnson | Christa Black Gifford | and Jeremy Riddle

Greatly To Be Praised
     by Brian Eichelberger | Zach Bolen

The Gathering - Part Twelve

Over the last few weeks we have been looking at the purpose for why we gather together each week. The quick answer would be "we gather to worship." What we are seeking to do here is to unpack what that means for us in the context of the corporate gathering. We want to come better prepared for worship and be able to fully participate in this gathering. Last time we looked at the second part of our purpose, "to celebrate the communion that is now possible with God."

I have never been to the Grand Canyon, but it is on my list of things to do. Consider how ridiculous it would be to travel all the way to Arizona, walk within feet of the rim of this spectacular marvel and yet only look at a picture of the canyon. You could talk all you want about how breathtaking it was, but until you actually gaze over the edge and take it all in, I don't think you are really celebrating it. The same is true in our worship. We can extol the wonders of who God is and what He has done, but until we have actually gazed upon Him and drawn near into His presence, we have not truly celebrated Him. 

The writer of Hebrews proclaims in 10:19-22a, 

"Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near . . . "

At any moment, we can by faith in the shed blood of Jesus Christ, our high priest, draw near to God! Think about that! We don't have to build up to a climactic moment in our worship services where we are finally able to come into God's presence. It is not our work that gets us there. It is Christ's finished work. So when we gather together let us draw near. Don't hold back thinking you are not worthy to come. Christ makes us worthy! Don't let doubt hold you back, thinking that you just can't feel God's presence. Faith allows us to see that we are there! Let us come before God's throne and in doing so we are celebrating Him.

"Father, may we truly celebrate the communion that is now possible with You through the blood of Jesus. May we recognize the truth that we don't ever have to work our way there. May we come together already in Your presence and may we leave our gathering time closer to one another because we have been before Your throne together! Amen."

Songs for Our Gathering this Week:

You Are Holy 

     by Marc Imboden | Tammy Rhoton

Majestic

     by Lincoln Brewster

Rejoice 

     by Dustin Kensrue

My Lighthouse
     by Rend Collective