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Following Jesus
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His Name Is
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Grace Church
257 Kendall Street
Burlington, WI 53105
(262) 763-3021
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Pastor Scott Carson
Grace Church of Burlington
September 25, 2005
“[Worship] is a man listening through a tornado for the Still Small Voice...a soul standing in awe before the mystery of the Universe...a hungry heart seeking for love...Time flowing into eternity...It is a man climbing the altar stairs to God.” Dwight Bradley
It’s said that standing at the South Pole is like being in the eye of a hurricane, deceivingly calm. The quietness seems inconsistent with the fact that mighty winds originate there. How is this possible? Well, as warm air from the equator flows in over the polar region, it descends, becomes cold and dense, and sinks to the frigid surface. Since the ice-covered plateau tapers off toward the oceans, and no mountains or other obstacles stand in the way, gravity pulls the heavy, cold air down the smooth slopes. The wind picks up tremendous speed as it moves northward toward the equator. Gradually, it is heated by the sun and begins to rise, creating a circular pattern to drive the earth's weather machine that is so vital to our existence.
For Christians, quiet times of prayer and worship also give rise to great power. In our “to do list” culture, this seems nonproductive because nothing appears to be happening. Our urge is almost compulsive: move, do, work, worry, struggle. Yet at the heart of accomplishing things for God must be that regular experience of calm followed by an unobstructed flow of energy.
Every Sunday morning as a church family, we embark on a great flow of energy. And if this will truly be eternally worthwhile, then our worship must be earnest, and our praying sincere.
British theologian, John Stott, once admitted the truth that many of us have felt but failed to confess: “The thing I know will give me the deepest joy - namely, to be alone and unhurried in the presence of God, aware of His presence, my heart open to worship Him - is often the thing I least want to do.”
Now that Fall is here, many ministries are kicking off or taking shape at Grace. Things are in full swing and it’s full steam ahead. Add to that the normal busy schedule that most of us struggle with, such as kids in school, athletic events, etc. But we must never forget that we have gathered together this morning to worship God. Whether or not this service is entertaining, or the sermon invigorating, let us worship Him together in sincerity. Then over the next several weeks, He will be the energy behind the flurry of activity! We dare not seek to serve Him in our own strength. The hymn writer wrote, “I need Thee every hour.” He was wrong. We need Him every moment. This time of corporate worship is an opportunity for us to reset our spiritual compasses with our awesome God. It’s a time for praise and a reminder that our lives are so small and so short when compared to our eternal God. It’s a time to quiet our souls and refocus on what really is significant and really matters. We need worship. The health of our souls depends on it.