Praise the Lord! Our Worship Leading Choir began a new year and a new journey into His presence tonight with fourteen new folks by our sides. What a blessing!
The journey to Emmaus found in Luke 24 gives us insight to our journey into worship. Please read the story in Luke. There are worship scholars who say this passage gives great insight to early Christian worship in which God's presence is manifest. The Emmaus Story is a pattern for our experience of God's presence.
Step one in our journey into God's presence is when we are on the way, much like entering His gates with thanksgiving. We prepare as we come together in God's presence. There is that preparation thing about worship again. And we gather with thanksgiving and praise.
Step two of our journey into God's presence continues as we hear the Word of God in our hearts through the singing and preaching of the principles of God's Word.
Step three of our journey continues as we remember and rehearse our salvation and relationship with Christ through a more intensive and intimate experience of responding to God's Word and presence through worship around the Word, and/or worship around the communion table. It is the remembering in a way that grows us in knowing Him in a more intimate relationship and communion.
Step four of our journey continues as we go out, joyfully telling others of what Christ has done and living only to serve the resurrected Lord and King!
The Emmaus Journey is our journey into His presence. Both our personal and public worship is a journey into the very presence of God. May we grow in that awareness. mjm
