Putting Our Week and Our Work on the Altar

What should you be looking to get out of our time together on Sunday mornings? We can’t help but have expectations, weak or strong, vague or clear, selfish or not. It ought to be more than ritual or routine, we should want things. Here are a couple reminders.

We assemble before the Lord to remember that He is our God and He is good to those who fear and love Him. Basic stuff.

But, how often do we functionally get caught treating something else as God, either in what we’re depending on or where we’re getting our directions? The calendar isn’t divine. A failure is not sovereign. What others say is not inspired. Pain isn’t eternal. Fear can only play like a god.

The Lord gives us our days. He puts difficulties and decisions in front of us. And He wants us to depend on Him. Offer a sacrifice of calling on Him in the day of trouble. The He delivers, and we glorify Him (Psalm 50:14-15). Sundays keep us from getting stuck only looking at our resources under the sun.

And God is a good God. He gives good things (James 1:17). He loves all those who fear Him. How easily we forget. It was the oldest temptation known to man, to believe that God is stingy, holding back (Genesis 3:5). Giving into that temptation set the world on fire.

The Lord is the one “with whom we have to do” (Hebrews 4:13 KJV). Our liturgy isn’t a place to forget about our week and work, it is the place that puts our week and work on the altar before God. Praise Him first, and all these things will be added to you.