Vol. 18 No. 47 | December 5, 2016
You have finished your busy week, and you 
have been counting the minutes until you finally have some down time. As usual, you have waited all week to have this time to relax. You indulge in a long and satisfying sigh of relief.
About that same time, your wife reminds you that you promised to go to church with her. Your sigh of relief turns into a moan of disappointment. The thought of walking into a church building, sitting for an hour, mouthing words to songs that do not make sense to you, and listening to a sermon that does not connect with you sounds exhausting. As you leave, you say to yourself, “Why do I do this?”
You just finished your very busy week. Phone calls, responding to clients, and handling your day-to-day responsibilities have taken a toll on you. You feel drained, and tired, and weary, and empty. You look forward to time with your spiritual family, the encouragement and support that comes from being with the people you consider your brothers and sisters. The songs lift your spirits and restore your heart and soul. The message touches you and reminds you that the Lord above loves you and sustains you. As you leave, you say to yourself, “How can I live without this?”
I suspect that most of us, if not all of us, have experienced both scenarios. There are times when worship is meaningful and rich, and there are times when worship is meaningless and dry. There are times when worship gives us life and times when worship leaves us feeling lifeless.
Although it is written in a way that may confuse us, the Revelation of John brings the story of the Bible to a dramatic conclusion by inviting us to experience being in the presence of God.
Eugene Peterson writes, “Worship shapes the human community in response to the living God. If worship is neglected or perverted, our communities fall into chaos or under tyranny.”[1]
Peterson’s statement and my limited ability to understand the final book of the Bible lead me to these observations.
Worship is important.
- Worship is important because it reminds me that I am not alone and winning the battle against the enemy is not up to me.
- Worship is important because it assures me that I am not forgotten.
- Worship is important because it reminds me that I am not the center of the universe.
- Worship is important because it points me to the One who is the center of the universe.
- Worship is important because it offers me the opportunity to respond to the living God.
Let me encourage that your experiences of being in the presence of God, whether meeting your approval or not, provide you with the opportunity to express your appreciation to the One who created you, and to receive the affirmation that He longs to give you. As you worship this week, alone or in a corporate setting, may you give your heart to the Lord God Almighty, and may you receive His love and blessings.
Worship is important.
Tom
A Norvell Note © Copyright 2016. Tom Norvell. All Rights Reserved.
[1] Eugene H. Peterson, The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language (Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 2005), Re.