Worship on a Sunday
I've been waiting for today. It's Sunday and the highlight of our day on Sunday is always church! We look forward to it all day. We plan our day around that and our evening around it. It used to be because I was pastoring and my whole week had been built towards this climax. Today, I'm not pastoring and I'm still finding myself drawn toward going to church as the climax of my week. I get to see the people again. I get to greet them and visit with them and find out about their weeks. Catch up and laugh together. I get to greet our guests and visitors. Make them feel welcome. Introduce them to my friends and show them a good time of worship.
And yes, I get to worship!
Since I found out about my cancer diagnosis, I've worshipped differently. More intensely. I often can't stop crying when I think about being in the presence of God. When I think about the words to some of the songs. When I lift my hands up before Him and just surrender. When I rejoice in thankfulness for all the blessings He gives.... I think I'm much closer to God now than ever before in my life. In fact, I know that I am. What a blessing! (I can't believe I said that.)
I can hardly wait!
I was reading in Deuteronomy today again. And God just "struck" me with this passage in there.
About how the Israelite people were not to worship Him like the pagans worship their gods. God was to be worshipped as God! With great joy! Seriously. Joy is commanded!
"There in the presence of the Lord your God, you and your families shall eat (Mmmm) and shall rejoice in everything you have put your hand to, because the Lord your God has blessed you."
It can get pretty morbid just waiting for the prognosis on my diagnosis. I can let fears attack me and worst case scenarios run through my mind. I think the enemy would love that. I think he tries for that. But today, no way! I'm not! I'm going to eat with my family "before the Lord". I'm going to worship with my family "before the Lord". I'm going to encourage my family in the Lord. I'm going to greet the family of God and our guests in the Lord. And I'm going to worship with great rejoicing "before the Lord"!
Too bad so many of my friends are at "the lake". I'm going to miss them.
posted by DH @ Sunday, July 03, 2005
8 comments
8 Comments:
Dwayne, see you at church today. I'm playing, the song list looks great. Keep on rockin' in the blog world. I read every day. So does Fern.
God Bless
My family bought you a Healing Worship album, I'm bringing it to church today. It's a really good album.
Dwayne,
No... you're not preaching today at the front of Living Hope Church... you've been preaching everyday since you started this blog!!! :) And you get to preach to more than just us Living Hoper's... don't stop now!
Dwayne, we had an opportunity to pray for a young Mom with recurring cancer. Wife and mother of 2 little ones, she said to us, when you tell the congregation about the cancer, tell them that I'm "living with" cancer, not dying with it! In this past week or so, I see you very much alive in Christ as you allow God to use you to minister to others in spite of your circumstances. Keep the faith brother, we're walking with you and Janet. Bill & Kath.
Dear Dwayne,
We're in Manitoba right now visiting my family. My parents' church and my 3 sisters' churches are praying for you. I'm crushed at the results of the biopsy, but you can not give up hope. Keep praying, keep seeking God's face, keep reading his word, keep writing your story. One of the hardest things we had to do when Tony was diagnosed was to admit he had cancer. As if saying "cancer" would make it real. Well, by the sounds of your reports on the blog, I guess it's real. So my advice to you now it, in order to start fighting hard, is to admit and say that you have cancer. Some people's comments on your blog use "c-word" or "c*****" - now it's time to use the word cancer. I'm a mom of a cancer survivor. My son is a cancer survivor of 7 years. Justin and Amy are siblings of a cancer survivor. It became a household word, and we say it as easy as we'd say "laundry", or "groceries", or "homework". It's like an alcoholic, who has to take the first step in his recovery and say "I am an alcoholic." It's time to say, "I have cancer." I know it's hard - been there, done that. But we've also said, "Ok, Tony has cancer. Now the fight is starting." Facing it and giving it a name will give you strength to fight it. I hope this hasn't sounded harsh, but I felt I really needed to say this. God is with you and Janet and the kids. He will never leave you. He will give you the strength to overcome the hurdles of cancer day by day.
Always in my prayers,
Joanne
Hello DH,
As one of the "lakers" I wanted to say I was touched that even in the face of cancer and everything that goes along with it, you thought of all us at play,and missed communing with us. You truly never were far from our hearts,minds or prayers. I hope that you have a good night's rest tonight and that the Holy Spirit will fill you with joy and peace...
this bog has made me want to worship like you do,all the time! i mean yeah i have some intense worship exsperiances but not all the time. I want it to be intense all the time like that. so thank you i am going to be praying for that. i realize its not somthing that you can make happen its somthing that over comes you and i will be praying about that and for that so thanks
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