God's Passion for His Glory in Corporate Worship

Corporate Worship: The Heart Hunger That Honors God
[Excerpted from: John Piper and Jonathan Edwards, God’s Passion for His Glory: Living the Vision of Jonathan Edwards (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 1998), 40–42.]

---

     I previously posted the implications which Piper lists, and this is the full piece on implication 10 which I've been reflecting over. Unless noted in [], the emphasis is mine. My prayer is that this would be as challenging and edifying a meditation as it has been for me. 

For His glory and your joy,
-David

Without further adieu...

Implication #10. The essence of authentic, corporate worship is the collective experience of heartfelt satisfaction in the glory of God, or a trembling that we do not have it and a great longing for it.[italics original] 

Ashamed to Ask for Help

---

The Story:
This past week, as you may well know, Indiana and the neighboring states endured -- Snowpocalypse. Coming into the perfect storm, I asserted that God was sovereign over the snow by quoting Job 37:5-6.

God…does great things that we cannot comprehend. For to the snow he says, ‘Fall on the earth' Job 37:5-6. God is bigger than #Snowpocalypse

— David Christensen (@Christensen_Dv) January 4, 2014

What I didn't know then was that God was indeed as I had said and intended to teach me at least one lesson through the storm. The snow came in torrents from heaven as God told it to fall, and after our single church service in which our Pastor told of God's Creative Hand in the weather, my wife I hunkered down for what seemed to be a record snowfall. With the exception of an going out to attempt to minister to kids & parents who didn't have school on Monday, we did not leave our apartment or use our vehicle (which sits outside) for the better part of two days.

Tuesday morning arrives, and it is time to go to my Systematic Theology course taught by guest teacher Andy Naselli. I help with setting up the technology for our class and needed to arrive early for that reason. I awoke early and geared up for the cold journey ahead. After girding my loins to face the cold, I went outside into what was approaching -20°F (with windchill). I scraped what seemed like a giant plaster cast of snow off of our vehicle, my fingers freezing, and I jumped inside the vehicle. Slamming the key into the ignition, I wrenched then key forward.... Lights, sounds of car beginning to start....nothing.