DAY 3: WORSHIPING TOGETHER
Read Luke 24:50-52 (the closing words to Luke’s gospel); Acts 2:46-47.
In a bigger sense, worship is our life. But in today’s passages, worship is about expressing praise and thankfulness to God. This aspect of worship was common in the early church. It centered around what God was doing. Remember that – it was all about what God was doing. These early church members were experiencing persecution, turmoil, and rejection. They experienced pain and suffering in some cases. They experienced the fear of the loss of lives – people that were important and dear to them (e.g. Stephen, Peter). And yet despite all the negative they were experiencing, they seemed to never fail to worship God. How could they worship Him despite all that was happening to them? They could worship because they knew God was working. He was doing something that made their hardship worthwhile.
And as they came together, you can imagine the stories they told. What God was doing. Not what they were doing, but what God was doing.
In our Home Group questions provided with these devotions each week, the first question is always: How have you seen God work this week? By focusing on the work of God, it helps a group place their focus on God and the wonderful mystery of His work. There is something that strengthens the spirit when we see God’s ever-present and intervening work in people’s lives. It brings hope. It brings perspective.
“Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt His name together.” (Psalm 34:3)
To consider:
How have you seen God work this week? Make some time this week to share with someone how God is working around you. And then praise him with a full and thankful heart.
