Different styles of Sunday worship

I enjoy the football season in October, I enjoy it more in November.  I enjoy it for two very specific reasons.  Reason number one revolves around who gets to play football in October and November in High School Sports, only the best teams get to play in the state high school playoff tournament.  And the second reason is more selfish, I really enjoy the weather.

There is something about cold weather and being outside that I really enjoy.  I will actually spend time outdoors hiking, hunting, sitting with a cup of coffee, or just doing yard work well into December.  When we get that late into the season I will sit by the fire with cocoa and watch the snow fall out my window thinking through all of the things I want to do.

Even now, as the regular football season is winding down, I enjoy the sights, sounds, competition, and strategy of a High School football game.  From warm-ups and the National Anthem to the battle of offense and defense, from the half-time show and the end of the game wether we win or lose the whole game is an encouragement to me.

I am glad for our town and the support we show to the players, cheer squad, performers in the pep and marching band, and all the volunteers that make our events great.  The roar of the crowd at a great play and the sounds of the instruments over the field add to the joy of an evening outdoors.

I want to compare our Friday evenings to our Sunday mornings, not in a negative way but in a joyous way.  I have heard from people over the years about their preferences in worship, some would rather be have one style or another while others wouldn’t enter a church prefering to worship outdoors and so on.  No matter where or how you worship take the same attitude as we do on a Friday Night under the lights.

Be filled with joy, join in with others, cheer loudly at the work of God and focus on His glory!   We are reminded in Psalm 98 to worship God with exuberance.

4 Shout for joy to the Lord , all the earth,

     burst into jubilant song with music;

5 make music to the Lord with the harp,

     with the harp and the sound of singing,

6 with trumpets and the blast of the ram's horn—

     shout for joy before the Lord , the King.

Enter into worship with a similar joy to that of Friday Nights, anticipate God showing up and working in people’s hearts and lives.  Focus on God’s glory, shout for joy and burst into song.  Our God is worthy of praise and we should show up ready to cheer Him for His good work.