“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests,” (Luke 2:14).
I am, by history and by choice, a Protestant Christian. Fine-tune Protestant to Presbyterian and there you have it. More important than Presbyterian or even Protestant is the designation ‘Christian.’
What floats my boat most of all in terms of church is coming together as a community where it is clear that what we are up to is worshipping God. Not the pastor, not the Bible, not the style, not the doctrine, not the religious structure but the Creator, the Son, the Holy Spirit — God.
So, this Christmas in Krakow, Poland Rebekah and I walked to Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Church for English mass — and we walked the mile to church in the snow.
It was a beautiful service, and what struck me so clearly and refreshingly was the sense of veneration and respect and awe for God, not just presented by the clergy but also a spiritual focus permeating the congregation.
God was so obviously present in the sanctuary, and the Holy Spirit was at work in and through both worship leaders and participants. There is no doubt these good people love Jesus.
Rebekah and I went forward to receive a blessing during communion, even though we absolutely reject the practice of excluding non-Catholics from the bread and the wine. But we went to the front of the sanctuary because worship is about God, and not about who is right and who is wrong. We were there to worship.
So, here is some food for thought, friends. If we are not attending church because we do not agree with something, or because the form of worship is ‘not my style,’ or because we have gotten out of the habit, remember this: Worship is not about us, it is about God. And when we attend church in that frame, it is very good for our souls, and it is a beautiful experience for God too.
Be faithful in worship! I will see you in church.
— Derek
