Come into God’s Presence

Just about a year ago, I asked my congregation: Why do you come to church? What difference has this made in your own life? And their answers were beautiful. Here are some of their responses:

I come because I feel compelled to bow my heart to worship the God who is bigger than I.

I found a renewed desire to follow Christ when I became a parent. I wanted to give my children a foundation in faith. I was blessed with our extended family found in our congregation to help guide and encourage me through the various stages of parenthood.

I come to be challenged to give and to grow.

I answered God’s call because I feel I am part of something bigger than myself. I am guided, receive blessings…, and feel the need to give back in gratitude.

I always felt something was missing in my life. I never really felt at peace. God has filled that emptiness. He is the great comforter and the only comforter that truly can bring peace. Life can be so difficult. 

There was an article in the Atlantic last year that related to a nationwide study. Apparently, over the past 25 years, some 40 million Americans stopped attending worship. That’s roughly 12% of the population. In a way, I get it. We’re busy… And there has been a massive distrust of institutions. And in some cases for good reason. However, at that same time, it feels like a huge loss.

Think about it. When else in life, do we stop to re-focus our lives? Where else do we stop to remember whose we are? When else are we able to honestly name the reality of the world around us – yes, there is a lot of brokenness, a lot of pain and sin and suffering – yet still say, we are here to worship because we don’t believe that suffering has the last word? 

Yesterday we reflected on Psalm 100 as an invitation to come into God’s presence.

May you and I continue to find sanctuary as we offer our entire being in worship to the living God. Whether that is in person or across technology, may we come to see it as the gift that it is. And, in our offering, may God’s healing grace wash over us anew. 

Let us pray: We praise you for the gift of life and love, O God. We turn our hearts now to take sanctuary in you. Take our hearts… take our guilt, our shame, our worries, our anxiety, our joy, our praise, our lives… And fill us with healing, meaning, hope… with mana, with the Bread of Life; through Christ, our Lord. Amen.