“There is a better way. Instead of trying to program our way into success, why not let the seeking suburbanites catch us seeking inner substance. Instead of trying to smile or laugh them into the Kingdom, why don’t we let these secular seekers walk in and catch us at the act of real worship? Let them see that rare and hard-to-forget phenomenon of believers honestly, joyously praising God. As they experience this wonderful mystery, they might want to come back for the sheer glory of seeing it again.” [Calvin Miller, “Into The Depths of God”]
"…Then Aslan turned to them and said:
“You do not yet look so happy as I mean you to be.”
Lucy said, “We’re so afraid of being sent away, Aslan. And you have sent us back into our own world so often.”
“No fear of that,” said Aslan. “Have you not guessed?”
Their hearts leaped and a wild hope rose within them.
“There was a real railway accident,” said Aslan softly. “Your father and mother and all of you are—as you used to call it in the Shadowlands—dead. The term is over: the holidays have begun. The dream is ended: this is the morning.”
[C.S. Lewis, “The Last Battle,” book seven in The Chronicles of Narnia]
"First, the true diagnosis of weak worship is not that our people are coming to get and not to give. Not a few pastors scold their people that the worship services would be lively if people came to give instead of to get. There is a better diagnosis. People ought to come to corporate worship services to get. They ought to come starved for God. They ought to come saying, “As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for You, O God” (Psalm 42:1). God is profoundly honored when people know that they will die of hunger and thirst unless they have God. And it is my job as a preacher to spread a banquet for them. I must show them from Scripture what they are really starving for—God—and then feed them well until they say, “Ahhh.” That is worship." [John Piper, "The Dangerous Duty of Delight"]
"Once solitude (as a spiritual discipline) has done its work, the key to this progression is study. It is in study that we place our minds fully upon God and his kingdom. And study is brought to its natural completion in the worship of God... Now we must not worship without study, for ignorant worhsip is of limited value and can be very dangerous. We may develop 'a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge' (Romans 10:2) and do great harm to ourselves and others. But worship must be added to study to complete the renewal of our mind through a willing absorption in the radiant person who is worthy of all praise. Study without worship is also dangerous, and the people of Jesus constantly suffer from its effects, especially in academic settings. To handle the things of God without worship is always to falsify them."
(Dallas Willard, "The Divine Conspiracy--Rediscovering Our Hidden Life In God;" emphasis added)
"It is impossible that he who never meditates with delight on the glory of Christ here in this world, who labors not to behold it by faith as it is revealed in the Scripture, should ever have any real gracious desire to behold it in heaven." [John Owen, "The Glory Of Christ: His Office and Grace"; 1684]
For more "Wish I'd Said That" click on links below:
