The time for worship is always

What do you do when someone does what you normally do at church instead of you? This past Sunday, my dear friend, Jerome Byrd, preached in my stead.  What did I do?  Well, what do you think I should have done?  Some might say, stay home, take the day off, rest; since your job is taken care of by someone else.  Others might say I should go serve in the preschool or children’s area since I cannot normally (and I have done this before — what a blessing).  Others might say, sit back and learn something from Jerome to change your preaching (the only problem is I could never preach or say some of the things Jerome says and does). 

So what did I do this past Sunday, and what will I do again next Sunday as Jerome will preach in my stead again?  I worshipped without serving.  Please understand I worship when I preach, too, but these two Sundays I worshipped without the responsibility of my role as pastor.  I still did “pastor” things, such as greeting and welcoming, and praying for people.  But once we started worship, I was able to fully take in without the thought of giving out, and my praise was free of the responsibility of preaching. 

So let me ask you — especially if you have no responsibility on Sundays — are you free in your worship?  What holds you back or distracts you from fully engaging in worship and praise of our Savior?  What could you do to eliminate these this Sunday?  And if you do have a responsibility, do you worship on Sunday morning or simply serve?  We must always worship, whether we are serving or not, for our God is worthy of all our worship.

Pressing on,

Ron Tipton, Senior Pastor