Daily Devotions
Worship the LORD your God. Exodus 23:25
It doesn’t take long working with children (of all ages) to hear the complaint: “Do I hafta go to church? It’s boring.” While I don’t say it out loud, I admit there are some Sundays I don’t feel like going to church. I know in faith I love God and want to worship Him, but sometimes my strongest human desire is for another hour of sleep.
While the world may tell me to “take a Sunday off,” God’s Word clearly says otherwise. When I reflect on all God has done for me in Christ, how could I hesitate? If I find worship dull, I have only one person to blame: Myself.
In worship God comes to me in His Word as it is read and preached. His grace is poured out through the Sacraments. In worship I have the opportunity to respond in praise. In church my focus is turned toward my Savior, not myself. On the cross I set my eyes, rejoicing in salvation. Before the altar I confess my sins and receive assurance of God’s forgiveness in Jesus. In God’s house I receive new power through the Sacraments.
Sundays are excluded from the 40 days of Lent, as each Sunday is a “mini-Easter” celebration of Christ’s resurrection. For some, that means silky chocolate desserts once a week. For all, it means Sunday is a day to celebrate our resurrected Savior, regardless of how we feel.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, You are worthy of all praise. Give me a heart of worship through Jesus my Savior. Amen.
Response: Arrive to worship services early and prepare your heart for praise.
(Devotions from “Cross of Ashes” by Christine Weerts, a Lenten devotional provided by Lutheran Hour Ministries. Copyright 2005, Int’l LLL. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be printed, reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission of Concordia Publishing House. Permission is granted for one-time emailing of this link to a friend.)