What sort of an Army? (8)

… an Army that recognises that worship is not a Sunday experience but a way of life.

Last week we considered that variety in worship is crucial within the Salvation Army ( and I daresay in the broader Christian Church as a whole).

This week I would ask us to consider two things:

That worship is something that happens as a gathered congregation.
That worship is something that happens because we are a sent people.

As a gathered congregation the act of gathering, of consciously setting aside time to spend with others of a like mind, or at least an enquiring mind, is worship. We have said inwardly to ourselves and to God Himself ‘You are worth giving this next period of time to, to concentrate on your goodness, to open my heart and mind to your leading and to open my mouth to magnify You – and this in the presence of my peers’. We give time, and therefore worth, to the things that are precious to us.
Clearly this does not have to happen on Sunday alone – any day of the week can be the setting of gathered worship – in truth we have numerous expressions in West Scotland of this very thing. The post-modern age allows us to consider such things as options rather than radical departures from tradition.

When we finish our gathering we then re-enter ‘His world-our mission field’ but the worship should and must continue. As we go about our daily lives, the mundane and menial, our work tasks and our social life this too is worship. The business deal, the conversation, the cup of coffee with colleague or friend all must have the same intentionality as the gathered event. We must give worth to our living because in doing so we are acknowledging the one who has given us life. Our living in the presence of God, we may call it holiness, is a direct influence on those around us and an act of worship in itself. In fact we may argue that it is purer worship because it has that additional impact on non believers.

Our day to day living, accidentally and intentionally is our worship – every day.