The Habit of Worship
“[Jesus] went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was His custom.”
Luke 4:16
So much of our lives is shaped by things for which we take granted, operating just beneath the surface: our habits, for instance.
Research suggests that our habits are shaped by our routines. One of my favorite morning routines is grinding coffee beans for my morning coffee. Children have routines as well. In our house, every evening, our kids brush their teeth, lay out their clothes, read and pray. We all have routines. Jesus had them too.
In today’s Gospel reading, we learn about one of Jesus’s routines. Luke tells us, “He (Jesus) went to the synagogue on the Sabbath Day, as was His custom.” I have always found this to be interesting. Jesus thought it was important to gather with other believers each week for worship. Yet, I have also wondered what was going through Jesus’s mind when he listened to rabbis, of various skill, preach each week. Surely, He was made to endure many boring sermons. Nevertheless, Jesus kept coming back. It was important to Him. Public worship was part of “His custom.”
The natural application for us is evident. If public worship was important to Jesus, then it should be important to us as well. While we don’t know for certain, it is safe to assume that Jesus had minor quibbles about what He experienced at the synagogue. Even so, Jesus didn’t allow those things to impede His worship. He kept coming back. He kept worshipping.
Our gathering each week for worship is important for our spiritual formation and vitality. It is where we experience fellowship and praise the God who made us. We are fed and nourished during worship. During the course of our gatherings, like Jesus, we might occasionally experience aspects which fall short of our ideal. This will inevitably happen, but these things should never get between God and us. He is the reason why we gather and the One we worship.
Spiritual routines were important for Jesus and they are important for us. If gathering for public worship is not one of your weekly routines, I hope you will consider it. And, if you already worship regularly, that is fantastic! When you get to church on Sunday, remember the primary reason you are there: to worship God.
