GraceCreates

By Jon Walker

May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 15:5-6 (NIV)

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Imagine visiting a church where the choir sings in imperfect disharmony. They aren’t just off for a couple of notes; their imperfect disharmony carries for the entire song.

And when they sing the next song, it’s also in imperfect disharmony, followed by a soloist who sings in imperfect disharmony.

Then, the congregation sings a hymn in imperfect disharmony.

To most people, this would have the cumulative effect of someone running fingernails down a chalkboard, creating that high pitched screech that makes your teeth ache.

Spiritual disharmony can unsettle both individual and congregational worship. Jesus considered our unity with one another so critical, he said you should stop worship and go set things right with anyone who is at odds with you (Matthew 5:23).

“Then and only then, come back and work things out with God” (Matthew 5: 24 MSG).

What if we agreed not to have worship services until everyone in the congregation had set things right with each other? How quickly would conflicts be resolved?

When you come to a worship service, your objective is to be able to tell God three things:

• I’m coming to focus on you, God, not anything else. My desire is to worship you with an undivided heart and to come wholeheartedly into your presence (Psalm 86:11).
• I’m coming to offer praise from my heart and to use my gifts, talents, and abilities to worship you. I choose to focus on your goodness and mercy, and I choose not to criticize my brothers and sisters who are also coming to give glory to your name (Romans 15:5-6).
• I’m coming to give, not to receive. My desire is to seek your face, not what’s in your hand. I have no agenda except to praise you, my Lord and God, “from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and Amen” (Psalm 41:13 NIV).

If you’d like to receive these devotionals regularly, you can sign-up at www.gracecreates.com/subscribe/. Jon Walker writes from www.gracecreates.com. He is a Zondervan author, and the former writer/editor of the Purpose Driven Life On-Line Devotionals. This devotional is copyrighted 2009 by Jon Walker. Used by permission.