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A Prayer for Our Corporate Worship to Be Filled with the Presence of God

     The secrets of their hearts are laid bare, (and) they will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, “God is really among you!” 1 Cor. 14:25

     Dear heavenly Father, what an amazing scene Paul describes in this Scripture. What more could we possibly long for in our services of worship than for your presence to be so obvious that even non-believers would be compelled to acknowledge you are powerfully at work in our midst, and in our hearts?

     There’s only one reason we’re not afraid for the secrets in our hearts to be “laid bare” today, and it’s because you open wide and laid bare your heart towards us in Jesus. You dealt with Jesus according to our sins and have rewarded us according to his righteousness. Hallelujah, many times over! Only the gospel frees us to fall down and worship you in humility, not humiliation; in gratitude, not groveling; in repentant faith, not uncertain penance; in the assurance of Christ’s righteousness, not the condemnation of our unrighteousness.

     Father, grant our church families this same freedom—especially as we gather each Lord’s Day to worship you. In a day when we seem to need more gadgets and gimmicks to create “worship experiences,” free us from needing anything more than the gospel to worship you the way you deserve and delight to be worshiped.

     Reel us back in anytime we move away from the “sincere and pure devotion to Christ” (2 Cor. 11:3). Teach us how to be stewards of technology, not slaves to technology. Teach us how to be creative, not cute; faithful, not manipulative; simple, not spectacular. And let us never forget that you are not seeking “great worship” but true worshipers—those who worship you “in the Spirit and in truth” (John 4:23).

     May our worship be so saturated with the truth and grace of the gospel that all of us—believers and nonbelievers alike, will be overwhelmed with your presence and captured by your love. So very Amen we pray, in Jesus’ most wonderful and worthy name.

 

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