Worship Is About God
But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” -- 1 Samuel 16:7
There was one of those sayings going around Facebook the other day about the worship experience. Rick Warren was quoted: The most common mistake that Christians make in worship today is seeking an experience rather than seeking God.
Amen! I could add that one of the most common mistakes church leaders make in trying to grow their congregations is to focus on the performance rather than on the message and warmth in how people are treated.
We’ve had some disagreements at our church about the performance. Yes. That is the correct word. It’s about lights and order of things and length of songs. As one person noted, it’s like they (the committee in charge) haven’t left room for the Holy Spirit to work.
He has a point. Last Sunday there were several people praying at the kneeling benches as communion ended. One man was distraught over his wife‘s recent suicide attempt. The pastor didn’t have a clue because he’d already headed to the back door to tell people goodbye -- well before the service ended. Fortunately, others stepped up and prayed with this man. He was not alone.
That’s as it should be. I don’t attend church to have an experience. Sure. I like the music. And I enjoy the sermons most of the time. I come for God. I want to gather with His people, my friends, my family, and remember how awesome He is.
Don’t get me wrong. I like order. I like sitting in the same seat every Sunday. But I always want to allow time and be open for the Holy Spirit to move.
My Sunday School Class is a little bit different than some of the others. We begin each week with prayer requests and praises. There’s nothing unusual with that. But some weeks it takes way longer than others. There’s something really special about sharing a bit of yourself with people who care. So people bring their hurts, their illnesses, their problems and we pray over them. If the lesson is a little shorter than I’d planned, oh well. People are more important. It’s a lesson I learned from Jesus.
Attending services on Sunday morning is about God. We worship our Savior and Risen Lord. We invite the Holy Spirit into our midst. That’s what it is all about.
