It is only now that I have discovered what it truly means to worship in the marketplace. To glorify God in every action I do as I work rather than see worship, like I have for so much of my life, as an act of going to church on a particular day, listening to a sermon, raising my hands and singing a few songs, and then going about my day for the remainder 6 days of the week before I start the process again. I know what I have described can sound a bit monotonous at times, and I reckon it probably was, yet how I realise even more now than before that you don’t necessarily have to routinely travel to church on a Sunday morning to worship our Saviour, Father and Friend.

Since I have started working full time in a role that prevents me from travelling to my local church on a Sunday, much of my Sundays have been spent with work colleagues as I interact and relate to people who may not necessarily share what I even believe. Being real, honest and relating to them is an act of worship, and though I may not have thought so prior to myself working, I’ve realised that the more and more I discuss, talk and relate, the more I can show the love of Christ to those around me.

I have a confession to make- I haven’t been to church since Easter Sunday 2015. And it’s now August. Have I still worshipped during that time? That’s the question I want to pose? Many would say ‘yes, you’ve worshipped in the marketplace’. Others would say ‘no, unless you physically and tangibly declared to God your thanks in an audible voice with music surrounding your thought and in and amongst fellow believers, then you haven’t worshipped at all.’ What do I reckon? You can worship within and around a congregation but also just as well even if you’re not even in a Sunday service too. Christ gave us a commandment- to live life to the full and to love each other as we have been loved. To worship is to love others in every circumstance and situation we’re in, to love unconditionally the people around us, and to be Jesus to the work colleagues we come into contact with on a daily basis. In fact, it is during these times where I haven’t been to church where I’ve seen myself rely more on Christ on a daily basis, for my conversations with my colleagues and everyone else I am in relationship with over the last 6-7 months or so.

I know meeting with other believers is a crucial part of the Christian life, but I’ve felt, and still feel, that we as Christians sometimes limit what being a Christian means to what we attempt to accomplish on a Sunday and fail to realise that being a Christian encompasses each and every other day we live as well- even on the days where we work and on the days where we don’t feel like travelling to church for one reason or another. It is in Romans 12:1, and I’m paraphrasing, where we learn that worship is a lifestyle rather than a day of coming together, that worship is a daily 24/7 exercise rather than a box you tick off every Sunday. Sure, I may not be in a fellowship or lifegroup currently, and I may not have been to church in the longest time since I can even remember, but that doesn’t mean that I haven’t worshipped.

How have you worshipped these last few days, weeks, months? Does your attendance for Sunday morning worship define whether or not you have worshipped the last week? Can you even worship in the marketplace as you relate to your colleagues and discuss about work issues and other matters? Is it even possible to worship and stay connected to the Lord without the input of a fellowship or lifegroup for an extended period of time? These are legitimate questions, and ones that I’ve been pondering about for some time. As I finish this post, you can reflect on these also and post in the comment section below.

Til next time.