Preparing for Worship (01/16/11)

Corporate worship is a great thing. Of course, we can worship God on our own and with our families - and we should. But there is something special about the people of God coming together for worship (Hebrews 10:24-25). Thus, we hope that corporate worship is the highlight of your week. In an effort to help you get more out of it, we're posting a short preview of the upcoming worship service each week.

Typically we begin our worship services with a Call to Worship. Usually Josh will read a short passage from Scripture that invites us to worship God, or a passage that tells us something about the character of God that ought to cause to fall down and worship him. Most weeks we follow that verbal call with a song that also acts as a call to worship. That's the case this week as we'll begin by singing "Come and Sing," a rather new song from Sojourn Church in Louisville. You can click here to listen to the song, and here to read the story behind it.

We're in week 2 of our new sermon series called "Rooted." In this series we're taking each clause of the Apostles' Creed and looking at a Biblical text that exemplifies the teaching of that clause. This week we're going to focus on what it means to confess: "I Believe in God...Maker of Heaven and Earth." To prepare for worship, read Genesis 1. Think about what you learn about God from this text. How does this invite you to worship him? You also may want to review the Apostles' Creed.

One of the songs we'll be singing is "This is My Father's World." It was written by a man named Maltbie Babcock in New York in 1901. He used to hike regularly through the hills and woods near Lockport. And on one of these hikes he wrote the words to this song. We'll be singing it in a medley with "Be Still My Soul," which is great because we not only get the truth (this is my Father's world), but also the application of that truth (my soul can rest because God is in control). Use these words in to pray and reflect before coming to worship on Sunday:

Be still, my soul! The Lord is on thy side;

Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain

Leave it to thy God to order and provide

In every change He faithful will remain

Be still my soul! Thy best, thy heavenly Friend

Thro' thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

This is my Father's world, and to my listening ears

All nature sings, and round me rings the music of the spheres

This is my Father's world, I rest me in the thought

Of rocks and trees, and skies and sees

His hand the wonders wrought.

This is my Father's world, O let me ne'er forget

That though the wrong seems oft so strong

God is the ruler yet.

This is my Father's world, the battle is not done;

Jesus, who died, shall be satisfied

And earth and heaven be One.

Be still my soul! The hour is hast'ning on

When we shall be forever with the Lord,

When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone

Sorrow forgot, love's purest joy restored.

Be still, my soul! When change and tears are past

All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.