Ready to be blown away by the glory of God

I hope you had a great Easter celebration this past Sunday. We were blessed by a wonderful worship service in which our choir sang the praises of the One who died and rose again. What a blessing, as well, to see all the children lining the platform for the children’s message! 

To all our guests who attended, as well as to our faithful fellowship, thank you for being a part of this special day. It was truly a joy to worship with you. And as I said, if you are looking for a church home but just haven’t quite found the place, we’d love to talk to you more about the mission and ministries of the First Baptist Church. 

All I can say is, something good is going on. Maybe better said, Someone good is going on. That Someone is Jesus. And as long as He’s the main attraction of the main event, then church is good. 

We’re not here to dazzle anyone with our music, although we do strive to give our best to the Lord through our songs of praise. We’re not here to impress anyone with fancy stained glass windows or magnificent architecture, although we’ll try to keep our windows clean and our building in good working order. We’re not here to tickle anyone’s ears with a feel-good, self-help, seven-steps-to-a-better-you kind of message, although we do hope you’ll feel better when you hear and believe the gospel message.

Our desire is to encounter the glory of God in worship. We want to hear from heaven. We want to experience the presence of the Almighty in our midst. And I believe God wants to show up and show out among us more than we know.

I think too many times we’re content to settle for less than God wants for us. We’re comfortable with going through the motions of worship without actually worshipping. We’re satisfied with coming to church instead of actually being the church. We’re good with making room for God without giving Him full control. We’re okay with hearing the Word of God as long as it doesn’t interfere with the routines of our lives. 

Friend, God wants to interfere with your life! He wants to disrupt your convenient schedule and change your self-focused plans and dreams. He wants to transform your worldly way of thinking. He wants to reshape your selfish attitudes and half-hearted motivations. He wants to conform your stubborn will to His. 

The psalmist knew something about this desire to truly encounter the Lord and to seek Him above everything else. He didn’t settle for lesser things. He wanted the real thing and would not be satisfied with anything else. 

We have two growing boys, both of whom often come home from school having worked up a mean appetite. They’re not satisfied with a single pretzel or a baby carrot or a slice of an orange. They’re hungry for food, and lots of it!

In Psalm 27 David’s worked up a mean appetite for God. His one-thing desire is to dwell in the house of the Lord, meaning to live continually in the light of His presence and glory. He’s not satisfied with a small taste of the Almighty or just okay with keeping traditions. He wants to encounter and enjoy and be blown away by the glory of God.

The reason David’s craving is so intense is because it’s fueled by knowing that the Lord is his light and his salvation. The Lord is his safety against the advances of the enemy. The Lord is his stronghold and shelter. There’s nowhere else to go.

It is time for us to look heavenward, to fix our eyes on Jesus, to settle for nothing less and nothing else than to know Him more, to encounter His presence, to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. Let’s come to church ready to be blown away by the power and majesty and glory of God! Come, Lord Jesus, steal our show for Your glory!