牧者心聲
期待與神相遇
周敬敏牧師
2023 年 1 月 28 日／29 日
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今天是 2023 年 1 月其中一個主日，鬧鐘準時在早上七時正響起。
起床、梳洗、更衣、吃早餐、出門口，務求在八時三十分前到達康澤正堂。此時，在禮堂內，詩班已齊集練聲，預備一會兒後在崇拜獻詩；負責崇拜其他崗位的事奉人員，亦在各自預備崇拜所需的物品和資料。轉眼間，弟兄姊妹已陸續到達教會，崇拜也快將開始了。內心沒有太大感覺。
今天崇拜的會眾詩，是我最喜愛的詩歌之一——旋律澎湃有力，歌詞亦能提昇心靈，當聽到從禮堂內傳出來的會眾歌聲，我即使仍站在門口迎接稍遲到達的弟兄姊妹，心中也不期然哼起詩歌的旋律。公禱後，我返回已預留的座位，繼續參與崇拜。內心沒有太大感覺。
一切都好像「自動波」一樣，從起床，到返回教會，以至崇拜完結，每個星期日都在做著相同的事情。內心也沒有太大感覺。
這是否你每星期到教會參與崇拜的「日程」呢？
崇拜，是教會每星期最多人參與的聚會。來自不同團契和年齡層的弟兄姊妹一同聚集，也一起期待這段與上主相遇的時刻。即使每週的崇拜程序大同小異，但我們經過一星期的生活，再回到聖殿中向上主敬拜，卻是帶著尊崇、敬畏的心，感謝天父的同在同行，也期待在崇拜中領受從祂而來的聖言，鼓勵自己在生活中堅守主道，活出美好的見證。即使內心的感覺似乎與平常差不多，但天父的工作和帶領卻是充滿恩典；若我們細心留意祂這一切的工作，其實也能幫助我們在崇拜中更活潑地參與。
崇拜，並非每個星期的「例行公事」——每星期回到教會都沒有太大感覺，只認為這是作為信徒的「責任」，完成後便好像向天父交了差，剛才聽完的道，轉眼便忘記了。
崇拜，也並非讓自己感覺良好，只選自己「喜愛」的信息；我們卻是要付出力量，當想到天父的同在引導，那已足能鼓勵我們去稱揚這位賜下救贖、勝過死權的耶穌基督，並謙卑領受聖言，進而在生活中更能活出以基督為中心的生活。
你期待在崇拜——這與神相遇的時間——如何敬拜、領受、立志、遵行主道呢？
Today is one of the Sundays in January 2023. The alarm clock rang on time at 7am in the morning.
I woke up, freshened myself up, got changed, ate breakfast and went out so I could get to the Main Church before 8:30am. When I arrived, the choir was already in the worship hall warming up their voices and preparing to offer their praises at the worship service. Those in other serving roles of the worship service were also getting ready the things and information they needed. Soon afterwards, brothers and sisters gradually arrived, and the worship service began. I did not feel anything special in my heart.
The congregational song today is one of my favorites – with a powerful melody coupled with uplifting lyrics. Even though I was still standing at the front door to welcome brothers and sisters who were slightly late, the melody echoed in my heart when I heard the congregational singing in the worship hall. After the corporate prayer, I went to the reserved seat to continue to worship. I did not feel anything special in my heart.
Everything seems "automatic." From waking up to traveling to church to the end of the worship service, I do the same thing every Sunday. I did not feel anything special in my heart.
Would that also be your "itinerary" to attend worship service at church every week?
The worship service is the most widely attended meeting at church every week. Brothers and sisters from various fellowships and of different ages gather together, longing for their encounter with the LORD at this time. Although the worship order is almost the same every week, we return to the sanctuary to worship the LORD with reverence and fear after a week of living. We thank the Heavenly Father for His presence and for walking with us. We also long to receive the holy word from Him during the worship service that will encourage us to stand firm in the truth and live out a good testimony. And even though we may not feel differently than the other days, the Heavenly Father's work and guidance is full of His grace. If we look at all His work attentively, that can surely help spur us on to more active participation in the worship service.
The worship service is not a weekly "routine" – like going to church every week without any special feeling, doing it as a believer's "duty," or completing an assignment from the Heavenly Father and forgetting the sermon when the worship service is over.
The worship service is also not for making oneself feel good, choosing only the messages one "likes." Rather, we need to make an effort. Just thinking about the Heavenly Father's presence and guidance should be sufficient for encouraging us to praise Jesus Christ who grants redemption and who has victory over the power of death. It should make us humble ourselves to receive the word of God and to better lead a Christ-centered life.
What do you long for in the worship service – a time to encounter God – in worshiping Him, receiving His word, committing yourself to Him, and obeying and living out His truth?
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