David found pleasure in entering the Lord's house for the purpose of worship. He was a young lad when he had this privilege. "How lovely is Your tabernacle, O Lord of hosts! My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God ... For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness." (Psalm 84:1-2,10)

It is God's will that we assemble for the purpose of worshipping together (Hebrews 10:25). Can we join with David in his attitude toward worship? Worship should lift us up and make us more like Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18). It helps us to grow as Christians are commanded to grow (2 Peter 3:18). In worship, we are reminded of the values that the world tends to cause us to forget. We are reminded that life consists of more than just temporal things. The world strives to influence us to forget that something does exist beyond the temporal things we see, feel, hear, touch, and smell.

Proper worship requires preparation and forethought. God is a spirit, and we must worship Him "in spirit and in truth." (John 4:24) People expect the preacher to prepare his sermon. Certainly, he ought to think, pray, and study. He ought to think of God and of the people as he meditates over the Scriptures and points he will use to edify, exhort, and encourage God's people. However, all Christians should prepare to publicly worship the Lord. Acceptable worship doesn't just happen; we must prepare our hearts for it. With regard to the preaching of the word, Jesus not only said, "Take heed what ye hear" (Mark 4:24), He also said, "Therefore, take heed how ye hear." (Luke 8:18)

Scriptural worship also requires the proper attitude. David said, "I was glad when they said unto me, 'Let us go unto the house of Jehovah.'" (Psalm 122:1) He realized that going to worship God was a good thing. We, too, should be delighted to worship God. In the assembly of the saints who gather for worship, there should be reverence, awe, and veneration because the Lord is present (Matthew 18:20). "...Let us have grace, whereby we may offer service well-pleasing to God with reverence and awe." (Hebrews 12:28)

We should never willfully forsake the worship assemblies (Hebrews 10:25). We are required to perform some acts of worship on the first day of the week. For example, we are to break bread on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7). The early Christians continued steadfastly in the "breaking of bread" (Acts 2:42). We are commanded to "lay by in store" upon the first day of the week (1 Corinthians 16:1-2). But what about the other assemblies? For example, the church in Jerusalem met "day by day" (Acts 2:46). Should I do everything I possibly can to attend such assemblies? As we seek to answer this question, let us seriously consider some general principles that are involved.

Jesus said, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness" (Matthew 6:33). If I willfully absent myself from the assembly, is it possible that I have allowed other things to become more important that worshipping God? Paul instructed the Ephesians, "Look therefore carefully how ye walk, not as unwise, but as wise; redeeming the time, because the days are evil." (Ephesians 5:15-16) When I willfully absent myself from the assembly, am I realizing the value and use of each worship service; am I taking advantage of it and looking to things eternal?

We are also commanded to be "zealous of good works" and to be "ready unto every good work" (Titus 2:14; 3:1). Worship is a good work; if we are not zealous and ready to worship, we neglect these divine teachings.

David loved to worship (Psalm 42:1,2,4; 84:1-2); yet, some "Christians" who are able appear to be faithful at one weekly service and completely ignore the other services during which the church offers worship to God. Please read and consider the following poem. The author is unknown, but its message is applicable to all Christians: