Expectant Worship

“Now when Jesus returned, a crowd welcomed him, for they were all expecting him.”

Luke 8:40

When we, as God’s people, gather to worship what should we be expecting?

Is it a great song service?

Goosebumps?

A feeling of peace in our spirit?

How about an expectation of the Lord’s presence in our midst?

Jesus said in John 12:32 “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” To be sure, he was speaking of being lifted up on the cross and the work that was accomplished there. But I think it is also fair to say that when we worship Him, we are drawn near to Him. We are also told that God inhabits the praises of His people. That is, he literally comes into our midst and takes a seat that our worship has created for Him. We should expect to enthrone Him with our worship. He alone is the worthy one and we dare not come together to worship man or any man’s accomplishment.

You see we have an opportunity this week to fulfill the verse from above. We expect Jesus to come as we worship Him and we welcome Him into our midst. That is what our expectation should be as we gather together in worship. He is more than capable of taking it from there! Don’t you long for the time when we all come together for just that reason and nothing more? Maybe you are a little offended by that because you think to yourself: “My needs are great and I need some answers and I need some provisions and I need some comfort and I need some strength and I need…. He knows what you need even before you express it. “Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4 Go ahead – delight yourself in Him – worship Him and Him alone and see if He doesn’t come and meet you!