A Bad Habit!

November 4, 2021

A Bad Habit!

During the last two years, we have learned some lessons.  Some of the lessons are good.  It is important to wash your hands, cover your cough, and stay home if you are sick.  I am not sure why these are new lessons to be learned.  But, these lessons are helpful in maintaining health.   

At the same time, some of the lessons we have learned are not so good.  Isolation causes problems, mandates are resisted, and we do not need other people to worship the Lord.  Again, I am not sure why these are new lessons.  But, these lessons are leading us into some bad habits.

Although most of the rhetoric today is focused on our physical health, our spiritual health has room for some significant improvement, too.  In Psalm 63:1 we hear; “O God, you are my God, I seek you, my soul thirsts for you…” 

The soul of our nation is thirsty for more of God.  The souls of people who love the Lord are thirsty for more of the Savior.  The souls of people far from God are thirsty for more of the Lord.  And, my hunch is your (and my!) soul is thirsty for more of Jesus, too.

The good news is Jesus will satisfy the deep thirst of your soul.  When his soul was thirsty for more of the Lord, King David went to the sanctuary to worship the Lord with other people. 

In Psalm 63:3 (NRSV) we hear King David say; “So I have looked upon you (the Lord God) in the sanctuary…”  The Word of God calls us to gather with one another in the sanctuary to worship the Lord God. 

When King David needs the Lord to shower his soul with God’s presence and God’s power, he goes to the sanctuary to worship with other people. 

When King David needs the Lord to shower his soul with peace and joy, he goes to the sanctuary to worship with other people. 

When King David needs the Lord to shower his soul with forgiveness and mercy, he goes to the sanctuary to worship with other people.

When King David needs the Lord to shower his soul with guidance and grace, he goes to the sanctuary to worship with other people.

During the last two years, we have learned some lessons.  Some of the lessons are good while other lessons are leading us into some bad habits.  For instance, too many Christ-followers have slipped into a pajama-wearing, coffee-sipping, sofa-sitting solitary experience of worship. 

This newest style of worship often leaves our soul thirsting for more of the Lord.  King David reminds us that our soul needs to worship the Lord with other people.  In Psalm 63:3 (NRSV) we hear; “So I have looked upon you (the Lord God) in the sanctuary…”  

When my soul is dry, when I feel distant from the Lord, and when I feel disconnected in my worship, I am called to gather to worship with other people “…in the sanctuary.”  In contrast, many people who love the Lord have substituted individual worship at home for worship with other believers in the sanctuary.

We have learned a lesson that is leading us to practice a bad habit.  Unfortunately, this habit will not create an environment in which the Holy Spirit can produce the fruit of “…love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”  (Galatians 5:22-23)

We always have room to learn and grow.  However, some of the lessons we are learning are leading us away from the Lord who can release delight in our soul.  I encourage you to gather with other people in a place of worship this weekend.  When you are there, take delight in the Lord!

Take Delight In The Lord!

Doug