Have you ever found yourself in a place where you really did not want to be, and you really did not belong? When a child of God gives in to peer pressure and agrees to tag along with friends to a place where worldly activities and ungodly conditions prevail, he may end up asking himself, “What am I doing here?”
If that question is asked under those circumstances, it is a good sign that at least this brother’s conscience has not been completely seared, and he realizes that some changes need to be made in his life. Sadly, some are in the right place who ask themselves that same question. Some find themselves in an assembly of saints asking themselves, “What am I doing here?”
Our attitude at every service that we attend should be one of joy and thanksgiving.
Psalms 122:1 (ESV)
1 I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord!”
Psalms 42:1-2 (ESV)
1 As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?
Every time we assemble as a local church to worship God, we should know exactly why we have come together and what we are doing. So, what is the right answer to the question, “What am I doing here?”
We come together to worship and praise God. This can only be done when we possess a heart that is prepared to do so. Jesus once said that we must worship God in spirit and truth (John 4:24). Speaking of worship, Paul wrote that it must be spiritual.
Romans 12:1 (ESV)
1I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
The word spiritual comes from the Greek word logikos and means rational or reasonable. Acceptable worship is reasoned worship. It cannot be done robotically. We cannot simply go through the motions when we are worshipping God. Worshipping God in spirit starts with our minds and demands focus.
You cannot worship God while doing other things like daydreaming, playing with babies, or carrying on a casual conversation with brethren sitting nearby. From start to finish, our minds must be on God. He is the One we worship. Worshipping God is a sacred act that should never be profaned by being mixed with indifference.
We also come together to teach and motivate others. In a context that emphasizes not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, the Hebrews writer reveals one of the important reasons we come together.
Hebrews 10:24 (ESV)
24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works.
How do we provoke one another when we come together to worship God? First, we do it by our very presence. It is edifying and encouraging to worship God with others who share our faith.
Second, we can motivate others by showing up on time for the Bible study and being prepared to participate. A lot of good teaching goes on, not just by the teacher, but by the well-thought-out comments of members who have done their homework and are really to share with others what they have learned.
Finally, we behave in a way that is beneficial to others in Christ, as well as any visitors that might be present, when we come to service ready to sing cheerfully. Singing is a great source of edification.
Colossians 3:16 (ESV)
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
Another thing to consider when we worship God with other saints is our body language. Believe it or not, body language is important when it comes to provoking others to love and good works. What do you think is more encouraging—a look of interest and engagement in whatever part of the worship is going on, or a slumped-over posture with eyes staring aimlessly at the floor?
When others take note of you during worship services, what message do you think they get if they see you talking, whispering, or laughing about something unrelated to anything having to do with God? The message is that you really do not want to be there, but rather be somewhere else, doing something other than serving and worshipping God. The message you are giving others in that case is far from provoking and would never stir up anyone to love and good works.
If God is important to us, we will take worshipping Him seriously. We will know exactly why we are at any given worship service, and we will act like it because we know that God and others are watching. But it is not just that. At the end of the day, we should be glad for the opportunity to show God how much we appreciate all that He has done for us and acknowledge His greatness and majesty by our heartfelt service.
What are we doing when we gather to worship God? It is not to just waste a few hours while wishing that we were somewhere else. First, it is to give Him honor and glory, and then it is to help others in their quest to grow in Christ. That should be what we are doing there.