Happy Trails: Journey Through the Psalms of AscentSample

In this Psalm of Ascent, David expresses a profound joy when he was invited to go to the house of the Lord to worship and pray in the presence of God. Can you relate? When you think of going to church, are you overcome with gladness, or perhaps something else? With overloaded schedules and endless distractions within arm’s reach, it’s easy to allow church to become optional or become another checklist item on our to-do list. If you find that gathering with the body of Christ has become a chore like taking out the garbage, it’s high time to re-examine your perspective.

The Bible holds a promise in Psalm 92:10 that those who are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. We will be like a time-and-storm-tested oak tree that people come from far and wide to find shelter beneath its branches. Gathering with fellow believers by serving, praying, worshipping, and leaning into the teaching of God’s word realigns our souls in the midst of a world that clamors to keep our attention on temporary, earthly things. It roots us to something far deeper than the things of earth, the very heart of God.

And you, my friend, were made to flourish.

1. Are you serving in your local church and involved in a small group?
2. What lens are you looking at church through? Is it a biblical or personal opinion?