Going to Church?
Opening Prayer
Father, thank You for making me a part of the family of God. It is a precious gift.
Read Psalm 111:1-10
[1] Praise the LORD. I will extol the LORD with all my heart in the council of the upright and in the assembly. [2] Great are the works of the LORD; they are pondered by all who delight in them. [3] Glorious and majestic are his deeds, and his righteousness endures forever. [4] He has caused his wonders to be remembered; the LORD is gracious and compassionate. [5] He provides food for those who fear him; he remembers his covenant forever. [6] He has shown his people the power of his works, giving them the lands of other nations. [7] The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy. [8] They are established for ever and ever, enacted in faithfulness and uprightness. [9] He provided redemption for his people; he ordained his covenant forever- holy and awesome is his name. [10] The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise. Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
What is the psalmist's perspective?Psalm 111 is an acrostic poem–each line begins with successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. It recommends praising God for all he has done for his people, and reminds us of the powerful, faithful and loving nature of God. It also reminds us of the enormous privilege we enjoy of being able to meet with other Christians. Joining with others to express our worship of the Lord (1) can be a very powerful thing–but it can also be a cause of dissatisfaction! In his book The Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis described a senior devil teaching a junior devil to upset a young Christian while at church–by getting them to look around at the congregation and hate the singing or the footwear or even just the faces. And isn’t this kind of pettiness so often what we fall into when we see the congregation at our church! But in this poem, the writer starts in a very different place–looking forward to being with others in order to praise God, starting with thankfulness for all that the Lord has done. Verse 1 could be translated as “I will thank the Lord with my whole heart when I meet up with his special people.”
Apply
Consider the ways the church enriches your life. Thank God for his church.
Closing prayer
Lord, together with Your people, I bless You with all my heart for Your goodness and grace.
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