Is your church experience really one-on-one with God? Are you bowed low before Him alone; to admire Him, tell Him of your love, ask forgiveness, get directions? Then everything, from the pre-service chorus until you are out the door again, is His aggressive confrontation of you. The song words are just for you. The Scripture reading is to call you up short on something, or comfort you, or challenge you. The experiences of your past week were all shaped to prepare you for this moment, and everything is created by God for His personal confrontation of you. The sermon is for that. Internalize it. How is it changing your heart, your life? Have your pen ready to capture every word that He’s telling you. Then you can name the spot where you sat Peniel ([1] Genesis 32:30), because you’ve been face to face with God.

~ adapted from Up with Worship by Anne Ortlund