We can grow in our walk with Jesus Christ through WORSHIP and PRAYER. When we worship God, we are opening ourselves that we might encounter the living God. As we offer thanks, give God praise, sing, and listen we are sharing with others in actions that open our hearts and lift our spirits to experience more of God. Worship is an activity that doesn’t require being with others, but it is most rewarding when it is done with others. Even Jesus made this clear when he said, “For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.” (Matthew 18:20)
When we come together with others who are also seeking God, we are much more likely to find what we are seeking. The worship and praise offered by others help me to be more worshipful than I would be by myself. Music, the reading of scripture, the sermon, the sacraments, and even the act of gathering together with others can lead us to a closer connection with God.
Prayer is a closely related practice to worship. Prayer is when we talk with God and share our thoughts and needs, our hopes, and our sorrows. Prayer is also listening and paying attention to the ways that God might speak to us or stir up something in us. In both worship and prayer, we place ourselves before God with the hope and expectation that God will meet us in some way.
Questions to consider:
- Do I take time to give thanks for the many blessings that have come my way?
- Do I make room in my busy life to be with others in a place and time that lifts my heart and spirit to focus on God?
- In what ways can I foster a conversation with God?
Especially in this time in which we are finding new patterns and practices after the isolation of the pandemic, the church is a wonderful place to find a connection with God and with other people.
Grace and peace,
Pastor Steve