Being new to the community, I’ve been asking lots of questions lately. To the embarrassment of myself and the consternation of others, I have even been known to ask the same question more than once. My brain is not a sponge. It’s hard for me to soak up information at one setting. I need repeated application like watering the houseplants on a regular basis.
Where asking someone’s name for the umpteenth time gets a little tiresome for everyone involved, some questions should be repeated over and over again. Not too long ago, children memorized lists of questions and answers from the catechisms. As the lessons were repeated, the knowledge would soak deeply, encouraging the seed of faith to sprout.
Every Sunday since I have arrived as your pastor, we have been repeating one of those questions. It’s a variation on the first question from the Westminster Shorter Catechism.
Q. What is our chief end?
A. Our chief end is to glorify and enjoy God forever.
Our congregation exists to glorify and enjoy God. Through Christ’s life, death, and resurrection, God releases us to a life of praise and joy. Worship is the most important thing that we do. I am thankful for the opportunities to worship with the First Presbyterian Church. Every Sunday we receive repeated applications of God’s love. I am appreciative of the music, the prayers, and the Scriptures. When I miss services, like when we canceled due to the recent blizzard, the week for me is not the same. We should encourage each other to take full advantage of our worship.
Our worship, however, doesn’t end in the sanctuary. Like the psalmist whose cup is overflowing, the grace that we receive cannot be contained in a few hours a week. Our day-to-day lives should be overflowing with our praise and joy that we receive on a Sunday morning. When we gather with our families, working at our jobs, or caring for a neighbor, our worship should be spilling out—helping to satisfy a thirsty world.
Join us each Sunday at 8:45 AM and 10:45 AM for worship that overflows.
Grace & Peace,
James Hodsden