Imagine Part 2 “Open in Case of Emergency” Traditional Service Livestream

Why do we sometimes turn to God only when there is an emergency, some traumatic event, a painful decision, or a life changing moment?

It’s as if we keep God safe on a shelf somewhere nearby so that we can reach for Him whenever we need help. When the crisis is over, we put God back on the shelf and go about our lives.

But what if we did the opposite? Instead of waiting for the world to fall apart or the crisis to come and then desperately reaching out to God for help, what if we stayed so close and so connected to God daily that no matter what happened we would know that we aren’t alone? That we already had strength and peace and faith for whatever we had to face.

Imagine if we all read from the Bible every day for 12 weeks

Imagine if we all showed up to worship together.

Imagine if we all began and ended each day with a prayer.

The key phrase is, “as was his custom.” It’s a clue that tells you Jesus made a weekly habit of being in the house of worship, reading and hearing scriptures as part of his disciplined routine. It’s the first sermon Jesus gave but certainly not the first time he was there. Just so happens he delivers it in the synagogue where he grew up, surrounded by friends and family who helped raise him. Jesus opens the scroll and reads from Isaiah. And with that he begins his public ministry. It doesn’t happen by accident. The context says, people showed up to worship. Jesus opened up the sacred words. And God opened up the hearts of those who were praying.

Do all those things it says, and there’s a good chance Jesus will show up.

Imagine if we all showed up to worship together. Imagine if we read from the Bible every day for 12 weeks. Imagine if we began and ended each day with a prayer.

Just imagine what might happen if we did.