Worship and Service
In the monastic church of the middle ages monks were guided by the tradition of ora et labora, prayer and work. From this tradition we see the recognition that the people of God have been called both to worship and to serve God. We pray, we sing, we study Scripture, we lift up the name of Christ in worship. We also feed the hungry, make peace between enemies, spread the gospel among the lost. Ora et labora. We pray and we work.
As Christians living in a Christian culture we are sometimes inclined to consider ourselves faithful when we have gone to church, voted for conservative principles, and placed Christian stickers on our cars. We engage in activities some might call worship but fail to do the work of the Christian life.
In Matthew 23:23 Jesus issued strong words against the Pharisees who were champions of “doing church” while ignoring the actions expected of the people of God: Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.
As we begin a new year, let us commit to ora et labora, prayer and work, worship and service. We will not be like Pharisees who waved the religious flag while doing nothing to serve God. We will worship and enjoy God while laboring for his kingdom in all that we do.