Psalm 66:13-15
I will come into your house with burnt offerings;
I will perform my vows to you,
14 that which my lips uttered
and my mouth promised when I was in trouble.
15 I will offer to you burnt offerings of fattened animals,
with the smoke of the sacrifice of rams;
I will make an offering of bulls and goats. Selah
“I wouldn’t want to belong to a club that would have me as a member.” As funny as that Groucho Marx quote is, almost everyone is desperate to belong anywhere. One of the disastrous effects of the Covid era has been the isolation of people, especially children. I heard one mother remark that their child asked during the lockdown why none of her friends would play with her anymore. We are made to gather together. The psalmist loved to go to the house of the Lord. He worshiped the Lord in ways we no longer need to do because of the Good News of Jesus Christ.
We should long even more than the psalmist to gather together. Like the child who felt alone, we need community, the presence of others to comfort, confront, and commune with us. Let us encourage each other like the author of Hebrews said, to gather together. We have a fantastic advantage over the psalmist because the offering has been made. Now in gratitude, we can gather together to worship the Lord for what has already been done. We do not offer bulls and goats at the altar. We give of ourselves and our tithes. Do not wonder if anyone loves you anymore. God showed that he does and we are eager to show that we do. All you need to do is…
Come into God’s house.