Preparing for Gatherings of the Fellowship
Can we be honest? How is your Sunday gathering time? Do you find yourself at times drifting off in thought? What I am doing later today? What’s happening next week? Are you looking around during worship or preach, wondering what x, y or z are doing? These questions are provocative but realistically – these things happen. That is why it is good to prepare for the gatherings so that the heart and mind are focused on one thing – to honour and glorify the Lord.
Paul wrote to the Corinthians:
1 Corinthians 14:26 “What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up.”
If we are to follow Paul’s advice, we need to prepare our hearts for the gathering. So how do we do that?
It starts after the gathering of the previous Sunday. Before rushing of to the cuppa, take a moment. What has the Spirit spoken to your heart through worship or preach this morning? Have you allowed Scripture to penetrate your heart and mind? Then go and have your cuppa. Keep your words few but when they are spoken, let them be uplifting and even share what the morning has meant to you.
Then as you retire that evening, reflect on the day. What has God has spoken to you today? Has the preach brought to mind a new step or a matter of dealing with something?
Rising on the Monday. Think of what the Sunday gathering has remained with you. Then get set for the week ahead. Towards the end of the week, take time out to worship and pray with the next Sunday gathering in mind.
Psalm 100:4 “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise; be thankful to Him, and bless His name.”
Ask the Lord for a prayer of thanksgiving, to encourage others at the gathering. Maybe a psalm of praise to read. Perhaps a word to bless His name.
Psalm 135:3 “..praise Yahweh; for Yahweh is good; sing praises to His name, for it is full of delight.”
Has God been good to you this week? Has God delighted you in anyway? Have you a testimony to this, to encourage others?
Matthew 18:20 “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there I am in their midst.”
Will you come to the gathering in faith, expecting to meet with God?
Acts 13:44 “And on the coming sabbath day almost all the city came together to hear the Word of God.”
They gathered together on the Sabbath, we gather on the first day of the week. Do you come with faith expecting to hear the Word of God?
John 1:45 “Philip found Nathanael and said to him, We have found Him of whom Moses wrote in the Law and the Prophets, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”
Is there someone you could bring with you, who has not yet met Jesus?
Then come Sunday morning. Reflect on the week. Reflect on your preparation of the gathering. Got something ready? Have you a call to make to the one you are bringing?
Have you settled your heart that all relationships with others are good? Ready to break bread? Sing a song of praise and then you’re ready!
Ephesians 4:1-3 “I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beseech you that you walk worthy of the calling with which you are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love, endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”