Day of Worship
Written by Administrator Saturday, 15 July 2006 19:00
How do you view the day of worship? What is your attitude as you gather with others on this day?
In preparing my Wednesday night message this past week I was studying Psalm 92. It has a fascinating heading – “A Song for the Sabbath.” As such, it is the only one of its kind in the entire collection of the Psalms. God places it there to inspire, encourage and teach us regarding the day of worship. For the Old Testament saints that was Sabbath or Saturday. For those of us in this era it is Sunday.
From this divinely inspired Psalm, here are a few things to keep in mind as you come to worship God. First, verse one reminds us, “It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praise to your name, O Most High.” In giving thanks and praising God together, we do something that God calls “good.” This word has great depth to it. It means “to be beneficial, pleasant, or right.” It is the right thing to do because God is worthy of our praise and it honors Him. But it should also be pleasing and beneficial for our own hearts. Our hearts are humbled … our spirits are grateful … our souls are filled with gladness as we praise God (v. 4).
Second, the Psalmist tells us what we should be thankful for as we come together for worship. Certainly, there are many blessings for which we could offer our thanks on any given Sunday, but two are foundational. “It is good … to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night.” (vv. 1, 2). On the day of worship our focus should always include God’s grace (“steadfast love”) that has redeemed us from the bondage, guilt and penalty of sin and brought us into a new relationship with God and God’s faithfulness which keeps us and sustains us in our daily walk with the Lord in this world. Regardless of what you may be enduring in your life, you can be grateful for the grace and faithfulness of God.
Third, the writer tells us how we should worship – continually and joyfully. On the Lord’s Day our hearts should constantly be filled with praise “in the morning … and … by night” (v. 2). Furthermore, he says, “I will sing for joy” (v. 4).
In what spirit have you come to the Lord’s house? James Montgomery Boice asks some penetrating questions. “Do you think of it as a day in which you have to go to church, but the duties of which you try to get over as soon as possible so you can spend the rest of the time with your family or get on to other more enjoyable things? Or do you think of it as a precious day given to you by God in which you can learn about him and so praise him? Is Sunday a trial or a treat? Is it a delight or a deadly duty?”
May our worship on this day be pleasing and acceptable to God and a joy to our own hearts.
-- Sparky