Worship Through Trials

As we gather to worship our great and good God, we do so in the midst of many trials and difficulties, many confusions, many uncertainties.  Some of those trials are personal, individual – maybe there are some that no one else even knows about but you today.  Some are familial and relational, some are financial, some are health related.

 

Some of the trials are of a more corporate nature, and we certainly have a new one today.  Today is the day when Washington State will witness its first sanctioned, official and public wedding ceremonies of same-sex marriages.

 

What should we be doing?  What are we to do with all of these difficulties?  The answer is found here – in the Lord’s Day Worship of God’s people.  Here we come and confess our sins and the sins of our people.  Here we beseech the God of mercy for mercy, the God of healing for healing, the God of answers for answers.  Here, we gather to be flayed open by His Word, opened, re-arranged, examined, and cleansed, transformed, instructed, rehabilitated, restored.  Here we gather and are granted the wisdom of the Lord, in Word and in Bread and Wine.

 

This is the place to start everything.  That is why this is the place to start the New Week – for this is the Day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and – in the midst of every named trial – be glad in it.  Let Him meet you here for He has promised to do so – and as you humble yourself before Him, as we humble ourselves before Him – He promises to lift us up. 

 

Then we will know – then we will be sent – then we will be able to serve – and bring heaven to earth