Eagerly anticipating arrival, enjoyment, engagement and worship

Last Sunday night, I posted the following on my Good morning, girls! (my Bible reading accountability group) wall:

I finished Job last night and it felt so good! This morning, I also noticed a huge difference in my worship at church. I felt more prepared, more natural. Because I have purposed to meet with God each and every day during the week, I was ready to come before his throne on Sunday and thank him for everything he had revealed to me during the week. It was one of the most precious times of corporate worship I have ever experienced.

At church yesterday, I felt the same way. And it felt good. Oh-so-good. I didn't feel forced or distracted. I had already been walking with God throughout the week. I had been preparing for this moment "Monday, Tuesday, Thursday" and I was ready for Sunday. I don't say this out of a "holier than thou" heart. In fact, I say it in complete humility and gratitude.

For years, I have gone to church and have had to "pump myself up" for worship. I would go from spending six days "in the world" to suddenly being transported before the throne of God... totally unprepared...often times tired, weary and forced. I always seemed to have jet lag and had to force feed myself a spiritual red bull on Sunday mornings.

Since I started my daily Bible reading plan, I feel like a whole new woman on Sundays. I am excited for church...longing to go and worship God! I feel like I have been soaking him in all week and am ready to explode into worship by the time Sunday rolls around! I can't help but raise my hands in praise to Author of the Universe. Lyrics which were once words on the screen come alive as I relate them back to my readings for the week. I am brought to tears as we sing and pray about his grace because I have seen it time and time again in my reading this week, and even more, my reading has made me more aware of his grace and mercy in my own life. I am more than ready. I am bursting to worship Him. And it's all because of Him and the work that he is doing in me through the reading of his Word.

As is usually the case with God, He hammered this point home during the sermon on Sunday.

This Sunday, Pastor Bullmore preached the third part in his series on Living for God in Our Ordinary Lives. Two weeks ago, we learned how to live for God in our ordinary family life. Last week, we learned how to live for God in our daily labor. This week, we learned how to live for God in our ordinary lives by gathering together as God's people.

We looked at three Psalms...

Psalm 122 - A psalm of eager anticipation

I was glad when they said to me,

“Let us go to the house of the Lord!”

Psalm 133 - A song of arrival and enjoyment

Behold, how good and pleasant it is
when brothers dwell in unity!
It is like the precious oil on the head,
running down on the beard,
on the beard of Aaron,
running down on the collar of his robes!
It is like the dew of Hermon,
which falls on the mountains of Zion!
For there the Lord has commanded the blessing,
life forevermore.

Psalm 134 - A psalm of engagement and worship

Come, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord,

who stand by night in the house of the Lord

Lift up your hands to the holy place

and bless the Lord!

May the Lord bless you from Zion,

he who made heaven and earth!

Beautiful, right?

Oh, that I might continue to eagerly anticipate gathering together with my brothers and sisters for corporate worship. Oh, that I might rejoice in arriving at church on Sunday mornings and enjoy the sweet fellowship with other believers. Oh, that I might be fully engaged in worshiping you, Lord! That I might lift up my hands and bless you who made heaven and earth!

Come, people of the risen king who delight to bring him praise...

Rejoice, Rejoice! Let every tongue rejoice!

One heart, one voice; O Church of Christ, rejoice!