Many believers, going to the house of God brings a deep, abiding joy, as expressed in Psa 122:1: “I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD.”
Why? Because it’s a place for spiritual renewal, connection with God’s presence, fellowship with other believers, and expressing praise and gratitude for His blessings. This gladness comes from seeing worship as a delight and devotion, rather than just a duty, and is rooted in God’s love, grace, and the hope of His presence.
The Psalmist was greatly enthusiastic to go to the Lord’s house. Why? It was because he loved God, His people and had intimate relationship with Him. It reflects a deep, internal gladness, not just happiness, found in God’s presence, offering peace and assurance.
Aside those benefits of going to the house of God, being in God’s presence brings “fullness of joy” and pleasures, as stated in Psa 16:11: “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in Thy presence is fulness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore”. It’s an opportunity to refresh our spirits, find comfort, and grow closer to God.
It promotes sharing our faith with others and building bonds within the community of believers as a source of joy. It reinforces in us the hope and assurance of God’s unconditional love and grace, found uniquely in Jesus Christ. It will reveal our individual differences in attitude as a strong key factor in viewing church as a burden or a delight.
Praise and Worship afford the time to give glory, express thankfulness, and experience God’s transformative power anew. However, unconfessed sin or lukewarm attitude might make worship feel like a chore, but closeness to God makes one eager to attend.
Ultimately, the gladness comes from embracing the invitation to gather in the name of Jesus, a deeply fulfilling experience for many. “I was glad when they said unto me, let us go onto the House of the Lord.” It speaks to the joy of worshipping with others who love God, sharing in praise, prayers, excitement and comfort. The “House of the Lord” is a place for healing, salvation, spiritual strength, and experiencing God’s love and grace. It includes opportunity to present our requests, share and hear testimonies of God’s blessings, increasing faith, joy, studying God’s word, protection, preservation and lots more.
Beloved, when last did you gladly and promptly go to the house of God? If you are reluctant to go to God’s house, it means your relationship with God is not cordial and something must be done about it urgently. Repent of your sins and receive Jesus Christ as your Saviour and Lord. If going to the house of God becomes a burden to you as a believer, it means you have backslidden and need to come back to God, repent in dust and ashes.
What gives you joy going to the house of Lord? When there to worship God, we come to hear the Word of the King of kings. We come to hear His Word of mercy and corrections and guidance. We come in humble embrace ans submission to the Word of Truth.
Moreover, we do not come to debate. We do not come to discuss or to share unproductive messages or to argue unnecessarily. But we come to hear, obey and to believe the everlasting truths of the gospel preached to us. The Psalmist was so glad to go for public worship, because despite the diversity the people were united by the blood of Jesus Christ and under the truth of God’s words.
And he was glad, in a world of chaos, to go and worship because he knew that there he would hear the Word of the King of kings, the authoritative Word of truth.
Are you glad and prepared for the worship? Then you will show that on Sunday, the Lord’s day. It will be written on your face. It will be seen in your conduct and in your prompt attendance to the house of God. And then you will look forward to the day when the new Jerusalem, the glorified church, will come down out of heaven. And then we will hear the call, in that great day of days: “Let us go up into the house of the Lord.” O what gladness we will have then! O God, we thank You for Your infallible Words. We pray that You will write it upon our hearts and work it in our lives so that we may rejoice under the privilege of our worship, in Jesus name. Amen.
(Psa 122:1-2).
Shalom!
