Throughout the months of 2009 Zion has been taking our time in this newsletter article to look at Stewardship from many angles. This month we consider the Stewardship of Worship.

When we think of Stewardship, we think of the stuff we manage. We think of our time, our talents, our testimony of faith and our treasure. But have you ever thought about Worship as something that needs to be managed?

Worship is something that needs to be stewarded. It is a gift from God. Do you realize what you receive EVERY time you are in worship? You receive the very gift that our Lord wants you to have. His means of grace are there for you. This grace delivers the very forgiveness of sins you so desperately need.

And this is a gift that needs to be managed. It is managed when you make that weekend time of worship inviolate. There is never a weekend when you don’t need forgiveness. So there should NEVER be a weekend when you willingly just bail out on your Lord. To be a poor steward of your time in worship is to risk losing your soul. The Third Commandment calls this despising the preaching of God’s Word.

So what happens when you fail in your stewardship of worship? Do we throw up our hands and just give up? No! We confess our sins against the Third Commandment. The beautiful thing is this: Those means of grace are still there give you the forgiveness of sins for that sin as well.

Care for this gift of worship that the Lord has given you. Be a good steward of it. You will only benefit.