It’s Sunday and lots of people will be going to church. Have you ever left feeling disappointed because the service wasn’t just right for you? We all will feel this way sometimes and this is okay because church isn’t for just you.
When we meet it should primarily be about God. If it’s a choice between worshipping him and feeling good in a service, then I want to choose to worship. Of course it’s natural to want both and there should be joy in our worship but sometimes our praise should be sacrificial. Some of you may be heading to your first church service since a Summer Christian festival where you have worshipped with thousands and been led by a large talented group of musicians. Will you praise God even if the music doesn’t sound the same and your worshipping with a small crowd rather than thousands? Is our worship really about God or is it about how we feel?
When we meet it should be about us being together. There are 57 references to one anothering in the New Testament. We’re called to love one another, encourage one another etc. Some people say you can be a Christian by yourself but that isn’t God’s best for us. If we don’t meet with other believers then there are these 57 commands we can’t obey.
Relationships require us to prioritize WE over ME. I have even included a DIY craft activity in this image to remind you. Sadly church services have become very me focused and it’s time to come back to realising that WE is more biblical than ME. We naturally think about how the worship, teaching etc is impacting us but God wants us to also consider how we can lovingly help and encourage others.
When we meet it should be about us connecting with God, but in a way that is helpful to everyone. Paul makes it clear that this is important.
I thank God that I speak in tongues more than any of you. But in a church meeting I would rather speak five understandable words to help others than ten thousand words in an unknown language. (1 Corinthians 14.18-19)
Praying in a tongues (a heavenly language) is a great way to praise God and it builds up our Spirit but Paul says that in a gathering that he would rather speak understandable words so that everyone can be encouraged. When I worship God by myself I will worship in a different way to when I am with my church family. May we know what it is to have met with God in our services today and may we encourage one another by the way we worship.
Are you going to church today? Will we make it about God and the others Christians who are there with us? It’s not all about you!
Honest about my faith 