Dearly Beloved,
Today is the fourth Sunday since we have moved out from Bethany EFC. A prolonged familiarity with a place over time, is the possibility that the initial attraction to the place may be gone. The saying goes, “familiarity breeds contempt” which means that one is no longer attracted to the place when he knows it well enough. Time will come when the premises in Changi Bethany Church will likewise be familiar surroundings to us. From a fresh start on the 1st of April 2012 that came with a certain attraction to refresh our minds and hearts may soon be gone from us. But with time and over time, will we be too familiar with God that we no longer revere and hold in high esteem of His Name and Being? The subject of reverence in the worship service must continue to occupy the most important place in our hearts.
Psalms 89:7, “God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him.”
Are we earnest in desiring to see a greater level of reverence to the Lord by our early arrival and with a prepared heart? Late-coming speaks not only of the light-hearted spirit but the lack of understanding of reverential worship to God. On entering the worship place, have we a heart that desires quiet moments, a heart which is overwhelmed with the beauty of holiness in God’s presence? Will it be a time for self-examination of our hearts in relation to God and to one another?
Firstly, we are examples of instilling a reverential and godly attitude before God to the children in our midst. We would become bad examples to them and are not blameless for our restlessness and inattentiveness in worship. The house of God should be a place for praise, reverence, prayer, worship, where holy thoughts and desires are in us each time we are in God’s house.
Secondly, we rarely see people dressing up casually to a wedding or a funeral because such occasions call for more formal attire, than in ordinary times and we should not be less formal when we are in God’s presence. From time to time, there comes the need to remind ourselves to put in our Sunday best. A strict rule of how we should be attired is not necessary, however how we dress should reflect the purpose of worship as a glorious occasion.
Dearly beloved, what is written is not meant to hurt any of your feelings or to have you think that coming to church is without joy. It is to encourage one another that we may bring out the best attitude and behaviour in the worship service to glorify God.
Psalms 122:1, “I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD.”
Those who love the Lord Jesus Christ, will want to be in the place of worship whenever an opportunity is given to them. And those who get the most out of worship, are those who put the most into it. A blessed and spiritual worship in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Elder Douglas Ho
The Believer’s Daily Remembrance
by James Smith
Be ye thankful – Colossians 3:15
What cause to be thankful, what reason to be grateful have we!
Surrounded by mercies, both temporal and spiritual. If we look back, we ought to rejoice that God hath chosen us in Christ Jesus, before the foundation of the world; that He sent His only-begotten Son into the world, to be a propitiation for our sins; that He sent His Holy Spirit into our hearts, to convince us of sin, lead us to Jesus, and make us meet for heaven.
We have His word in our hands, His grace in our hearts, His mercies in our houses, and His heaven before our eyes. O for a thankful heart! But let us take our poor, hard, ungrateful hearts to Jesus; He can soften them and fill them with gratitude.
Let us confess our ingratitude before Him, and mourn over our unthankfulness at His feet. He is ready to forgive. He can sanctify us wholly. He will hear our cry, and pity our complaints.
O Jesus, grant us a deep sense of our utter unworthiness, and of Thine unmerited goodness, that our souls may daily praise Thee with joyful lips! May we live as thoughtful dependants; as grateful, loving children, before our Father and our God; and daily be thankful.
Through all eternity, to Thee
A joyful song I’ll raise;
But O eternity’s too short
To utter all Thy praise!
(Adapted from http://www.apibs.org/devotions/remembrancer/01.htm)