When I consider our Sunday morning gathering I have one wish for our time as we gather. Oh sure, I have lots of much smaller desires like; no spelling mistakes in the lyrics of are worship songs, people arriving on time, guests being warmly welcomed, infants and toddlers enjoying our nursery. You know, the usual rundown of items which in my mind help to create a welcoming, distraction free (light?) environment. But those are just the small items. My big wish, my prayer, is that every single person who gathers will encounter the goodness of Jesus Christ.
I have no idea about the situations the people gathering are walking through. For the most part, I am not privy to the burdens that are being carried, or the questions being asked.
We have our worship set prepared, and my sermon is written, but if all we do is run efficiently through our program then we have let those who gather down.
Our great need is to encounter Jesus. To experience Him meeting us at our point of need with His extravagant grace and goodness. To drink deeply from His love so we can share that with the world in the following days. To be convicted by His Spirit so the character of Christ is more fully formed in our lives. To be challenged and instructed by His Word so the pathway of our lives is stable.
That is my wish for our time this morning, that we would encounter Jesus.
ps. The spelling mistake in the second sentence was intentional.
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