Pray that God would open the eyes of your heart so that you might know the hope and riches that are yours in Christ Jesus (Eph. 1:18). Pray that God would fill you with songs of praise and thanksgiving as you meditate on the great things He has done (Eph. 5:19–20; 1 Peter 2:9).

Early in my ministry, I visited an elderly man in a retirement home whose body and mind had been steadily declining. As a result, he had not been to worship for some time. When I found him, he was sitting alone, rocking back and forth, repeatedly uttering the words, “Take me to church.” I was struck that in his condition, the deepest desire of his heart was to worship God in the assembly of His people.

That man died not long after, and I had the opportunity to speak at his memorial service. I told those who had gathered there that God had answered his request. He had been taken to church—not a Sunday worship service, but rather that great assembly (church) of God’s people gathered around the throne (Heb. 12:22).

I share the account above because it touches on two crucial aspects of Christian worship. First, this man presents a model of deep personal desire to attend the weekly gathering of God’s people for worship. This is something that we all can strive to cultivate. Second, it touches on the reality that when we gather for worship with a local congregation, by God’s Spirit, we join with that great assembly in the heavenly places. By the blood of Christ, we enter the presence of God. We will first look at what happens when we come to worship. Then we will consider how to cultivate the desire and practice of weekly worship.

When Christians go to church, we do not merely gather in a local setting. In these earthly assemblies, we are lifted by God’s Spirit to His heavenly presence. The great privilege of every Christian, because of our Great High Priest, is to come to the heavenly Jerusalem (Heb. 12:22) and enter the heavenly Holy of Holies to “offer up a sacrifice of praise . . . the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name” (Heb. 13:15). Understanding this staggering spiritual reality transforms the way we think and how we feel about worship.

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