Has anyone ever asked you, “How’s your love life?” Your first response might be, “It’s none of your business,” or “I wish I had one,” or “Actually it’s quite good!” It’s a fair question for us to ask ourselves – “How is my love life with the Lord Jesus?” After all, life is about relationships and no one relationship is more important for us as Christians than that. Jesus’ first commandment hasn’t changed, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” (Matt. 22:37)

Eugene Peterson, author of The Message writes this about intimacy with God and the word “Abba” - the Aramaic word used by Jesus to address His Father. “Abba means Father, but in a colloquial, intimate sense. The nearest equivalent in our language is Daddy or perhaps Papa. In Christ we are introduced into an unprecedented intimacy with God. Nowhere in the Old Testament do we find God addressed as Father…but Jesus always addressed God in this way in his prayers…The gift of sonship confers the privilege of the child to address the father with intimacy.” Shortly after adopting our oldest daughter Hannah from Russia, she began to learn a few English words. One of the first I recall was “Papa.” It was an endearing term – though one I wasn’t used too (when she used in it public, I was concerned people would think I was her Grandpa!). My son Matt had never called me “Papa” but Daddy as a young boy.

As a son or daughter of our Heavenly Father, we’re invited into a deep intimacy with Him. One that is real and personal. Are you enjoying that kind of time with Jesus these days? How’s your love life with the Lord? Like any relationship of any value, it takes time and intent. It won’t happen without some effort, but what great benefits will be ours with the investment!

As we gather on Sundays, we expand that intimacy by worshipping the Father with other brothers and sisters. It’s a family worship, not just private worship. As we worship our Father together, we’re all strengthened, but it too is a choice. We all have our own preferences in music, worship style, etc. but we give up our personal preferences to worship an “Audience of One.” Worship is all about our Father. Worship is a choice.

Our Bishop gave his great advice in the July 30th Contact regarding worship. Here’s a few of his remarks if you missed them.

First, come prepared – When you go to church, go prepared! So many people make no preparation at all for worship. Begin on Saturday night to be in readiness for Sunday morning; read Scripture or the Sunday school lesson. Then just before you leave home, meditate or say a prayer for the church, the pastor, or the people you will encounter.

Arrive on time! Take your Bible; turn to the suggested Scriptures for the service as soon as you get to your seat. Forget about your dinner plans for after the service – focus on being fed the spiritual food you so desperately need.
Second, come seeking – Going to church should be a deliberate attempt to withdraw from the world and its confusion in an effort to find peace and revitalization.

We should go to church seeking God’s guidance for the week ahead of us; we should come seeking the peace only God can give; we should come seeking answers to the problems that face us daily. The Gospel of Luke assures us that, if indeed “we seek God, we will surely find God!” (Luke 11:9)

Lastly, come determined to give – many times people tell me that they go to church to receive. Certainly we want to receive the gifts of the Spirit. But I’ve found that what you receive in worship is directly related to what you are willing to give!
The person who goes to church only to get will, in the end, get nothing. I urge you to go determined to give your interest, your prayers, your devotion, your gifts and tithes, your sympathy, and your time and witness. The success of any gathering is always dependent on the people who are prepared to give themselves to the fellowship of the occasion.

Great advice from our Bishop! Blessings to you and yours as we grow in our “love life” with Jesus and one another. I love you!

Yours in Christ,
Mark

P.S. You’ll be blessed to meet Jonathan and Lisa Moore and their young children as they lead us in worship this Sunday. Come prepared to be refreshed in the Lord!