A man with his back against the wall, fighting for survival,
needs more than moral exhortation and pious entreaty.
He must encounter the living Lord Jesus Christ.

This was true for the aged Apostle John
exiled as an old man on the island of Patmos in the late 90s.
This is also true for all of us in the church of Jesus Christ
in the early 21st century.

Hearing His voice, seeing His beauty, feeling His hand
is the essence of true worship.
This type of worship galvanizes us
to patiently endure trials and suffering.
It also frees us from paralyzing fear and empowers us to serve our God.

William Temple, the Archbishop of Canterbury in the 1940s,
explains very graphically why worship is so crucial for us and our world.

“This world can be saved from political chaos and collapse
by only one thing: That is worship of the living and true God.”

Let us pray for the global church of Jesus
to encounter the living Christ and experience His transforming power
as she worships!