At their recent summer concert, Crescendo Community Choir were singing (amongst other things) about the Rhythm of Life. All of life has a rhythm, from the beating of our hearts to the passage of the sun, the pull of the tides to the passing of the weeks.

For me, the chance to share my life with others who love Jesus in Christian community is vital, and the high-point of my weekly rhythm is meeting to worship and pray. I was thinking of this the other day when a sentence from an old Christian magazine – one that had belonged to my Grandfather, dated October 1947 – caught my eye:

Attendance at the Sunday morning service indicates how popular the church is; attendance at the evening service indicates how popular the Minister is; attendance at the prayer meeting indicates how popular God is.

Now I reckon there is just about enough truth in that statement to be uncomfortable! Of course God does not judge us by attendance at a church meeting or anywhere else. Nevertheless it is true that the more we appreciate who God is and just what he has done for us in Jesus, the more we will want to spend time with him in the company of other Christians, worshipping together and praying for his Kingdom to come on earth as in heaven.

Our Sunday morning worship is the bedrock of our week, when we encourage one another to gather together in the name of Jesus for public worship. In addition we have a (growing) range of opportunities at other times in the week when we can share our lives, serve together and encourage one another.

In an age when it seems these things matter less and less, even to Christians, may I encourage you to review the rhythms of your life?

Therefore, brothers and sisters . . . let us draw near to God . . . Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess . . . and let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another.
– Hebrews 10:19-25