Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. 2 Corinthians 4:1

A family had birthday traditions.

Two of those traditions were the birthday boy or girl got to pick the main course for the meal and he or she got to say the prayer. Just turning six, Rosalyn had selected turkey for dinner and now she began to pray. She thanked mother for preparing the turkey and dad for his job that gave the money to buy the turkey. The family sat patiently as she thanked the clerk for selling the turkey and the store for stocking the turkey. She thanked the trucker who had brought her turkey to the store. She thanked the farmer who had raised the bird, as well as the feed store that provided the tom with "vittles." Then at the end of the lengthy litany, she solemnly asked, "Have I forgotten anyone?"

Her two-and-a-half-year-old brother, impatient with the delay to the meal, grunted out: "God!"

With icy disregard, the birthday girl looked at her brother and announced, "I was going to get to Him."

This is sort of my way of getting to the topic of today's devotion: have you gotten around to worshipping the Lord lately? For some people worshipping God comes almost naturally.

Not so long ago, some children at a Christian grade school were asked to complete the following sentence: "I like to worship God because He is ...."

Martha said she liked to worship God "because He is loving. He loved people in the Bible and He loved me when I don't love my little brother for making me mad when he repeats everything I say."

Jonathan liked to worship God because "God is caringful. He cares for the little birds and He cares enough to give daddy a job."

These children worship God because they have not yet become immune to His hand in their lives. They have grateful hearts. That's why I'm not especially worried about these children, not yet anyway. Nor am I worried about those many faithful friends of the Daily Devotions who are reading or listening to this as they have their first cup of coffee. I'm not thinking of the many ministers for whom this brief message is God's way of feeding them with the Word.

Today, I'm most concerned with those who must give an honest "No" to the question, "Have you gotten around to worshipping the Lord lately?"

Now, by God's grace, tonight and tomorrow I am speaking at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Belvidere, Illinois. I'd love to see you there and so would all the "regulars" at that church. And tomorrow, The Lutheran Hour will broadcast on some 1,400 stations in North America alone. The folks at the headquarters would love to know you tuned into my message.

But that's not what this devotion is about.

This devotion is about getting around to worshipping the Lord, with your brothers and sisters in Christ. Now you may not feel you need them. If so, that's too bad. On the other hand, I am sure they need you and the talents God has given you. Because of Jesus' sacrifice we are saved, and now by the Holy Spirit's power, His people are equipped with the resources and talents, which can share the Savior with the lost.

The job will be much harder if you're not there.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, for my salvation, I give thanks. Now I ask if You will help me and my church to get around to reaching the lost with that message of redemption. In the Savior's Name I ask it. Amen.

In Christ I remain His servant and yours,

Today's Bible Readings: Isaiah 39-40    Romans 6

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