How Was Your Worship
How Was Your Worship on Sunday?
Christians and especially “wannabe-Christians” will ask each other in the early part of the week. How was your worship? What meaning did it have? How did it make you feel? Did you feel butterflies? Did your skin crawl with excitement? Did you feel like running? Dancing? Shouting? Did you shed a tear? Did anyone weep, moan, or shriek? Did God show up? We all want to justify our choice of worship place and associations. We all want to prove to ourselves that our worship is real, and heaven is our home.
I was struck by the Collect of the day at Our Savior Lutheran Church (& School!), 5000 West Tidwell. Sometimes I am struck by various aspects of our time together as a family of faith. Sometimes I am thunderstruck! As God ministers His Truth and Presence to my whole person, my faith in the Gospel is clarified and strengthened. Sometimes it is the depth and importance of the Bible teaching by Pastor White and our other Bible teachers. Sometimes it is the beauty of the Christ-centered hymns. Sometimes it is the list of opportunities to minister to our world, from Moms with surprise pregnancies to supporting the millions in native churches world-wide. Often it is the pure Gospel sermon, simple and succinct!
But on this day, one of my revelation receptions was in the Collect. The Collect (pronounced usually with the emphasis on the first syllable instead of the second) is a brief but significant prayer related in thought to the Gospel or the theme of the day, and its chief function is to prepare the mind for hearing the Scripture lessons.
In the middle of this short prayer was this phrase. “Grant that we may love what You have commanded and desire what You promise…” Wow. Slow that down. Repeat it to yourself. Slowly, do it again. Pray it now. Let the wonder and depth and on-target sentiment focus your mind. Center your existence. Become your standard. Wash over you. Praise God!
Jim Freudenstein, 4-29-2024, 832-654-7791, jfreud1953@gmail.com
Christians and especially “wannabe-Christians” will ask each other in the early part of the week. How was your worship? What meaning did it have? How did it make you feel? Did you feel butterflies? Did your skin crawl with excitement? Did you feel like running? Dancing? Shouting? Did you shed a tear? Did anyone weep, moan, or shriek? Did God show up? We all want to justify our choice of worship place and associations. We all want to prove to ourselves that our worship is real, and heaven is our home.
I was struck by the Collect of the day at Our Savior Lutheran Church (& School!), 5000 West Tidwell. Sometimes I am struck by various aspects of our time together as a family of faith. Sometimes I am thunderstruck! As God ministers His Truth and Presence to my whole person, my faith in the Gospel is clarified and strengthened. Sometimes it is the depth and importance of the Bible teaching by Pastor White and our other Bible teachers. Sometimes it is the beauty of the Christ-centered hymns. Sometimes it is the list of opportunities to minister to our world, from Moms with surprise pregnancies to supporting the millions in native churches world-wide. Often it is the pure Gospel sermon, simple and succinct!
But on this day, one of my revelation receptions was in the Collect. The Collect (pronounced usually with the emphasis on the first syllable instead of the second) is a brief but significant prayer related in thought to the Gospel or the theme of the day, and its chief function is to prepare the mind for hearing the Scripture lessons.
In the middle of this short prayer was this phrase. “Grant that we may love what You have commanded and desire what You promise…” Wow. Slow that down. Repeat it to yourself. Slowly, do it again. Pray it now. Let the wonder and depth and on-target sentiment focus your mind. Center your existence. Become your standard. Wash over you. Praise God!
Jim Freudenstein, 4-29-2024, 832-654-7791, jfreud1953@gmail.com
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