Devotional Messages

DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE

Psalm 34:3 – O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.  (NRSV)

Some of us are extroverts, and some of us are introverts.  We all fall somewhere on a spectrum of whether being around others is energizing or draining.  But whether crowds are your thing, or just a few, close friends, for most people, life is richer when it’s shared.  And though a spiritual journey is something each of us must walk for ourselves, the truth is that faith is better when we do it together.

The image of the body of Christ is how Christians have expressed this need we have for one another.  We know that God loves us, and because of that, we also know that God wants us to love one another.  All of that loving gets gathered up together when we join in worship with our brothers and sisters in Christ.

It’s not always easy to worship with other people.  It can mean that someone else’s favorite song may be the one we sing instead of yours.  It can mean that a reading that’s significant to your neighbor will be shared even if you think it’s sappy and sentimental.  Communal worship is always compromise, and that is exactly why it shines with the love of God and our love for one another.

At root, communal worship is evangelism – sharing the good news with one another.  We join together to express our gratitude for what God is doing in our lives.  We join together to renew our commitment to the way and life of Christ.  We serve one another and greet one another, and these actions are reminders of Christ Jesus, our good news.