Abraham Kuyper

“Imagine attending church, but in such a way that you take your seat there without feeling any attachment to the congregation. You are lost in your own thoughts, you have all sorts of worldly affairs going through your head, and thus you fail to experience the fellowship of God altogether. Your attendance leaves you discontented; it has been a waste of time, without a purpose, and you go home ungrateful, almost irritable, and unsatisfied. You have been in church, but out of habit, as a servant of custom, as a slavish conformist; there was no reality, no enjoyment of the soul, no strengthening of the heart.

But it can be very different. There are times when in the house of prayer your love for your fellow members vibrates in your heart, you are able to separate yourself from worldly things, you feel a tug of your soul for the things that are above. Then you feel a release from yourself while praying and singing hymns and listening to the admonitions and the preaching; you are led into the fellowship and the meeting with God so that your heart drinks from the overflowing brook that intoxicates the soul with spiritual love. When this happens you will indeed experience an abundance of joy; then your attendance will move you to ecstasy, then you will feel edified and strengthened, then you will feel the note of love and praise vibrating through your heart all day.”

—Abraham Kuyper, Our Worship (1911 in Dutch; 2009 in English)

Courtesy of Pastor D. Scott Meadows