Places get a reputation for what consistently happens in them. Whether it's a hockey town, bedroom community for Toronto, or even a region loyal to a political party - these labels get inscribed based on what we see over and over again.

 

In Isaiah 56:7, God tells us that “my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.” Given that this is God’s house and we were made to worship him, it shouldn’t be surprising. What needs to be clarified is that worship as God intended it is us responding to Him. Creativity and expression are ways we can do this, but at its core, worshiping God is praising Him for who He is. This characteristic is fitting because prayer is the soul of all worship.

 

Second, God tells us that his house will be made up of all nations. At the time of the prophet Isaiah, while God had been sovereign over all of the world, His people had only been from Israel. For Him to acknowledge that His house, the place where He dwells would be for all nations, it would have challenged the preconceptions of Israel, just like it should for you. Your church likely won’t accurately reflect heaven. God’s people are just too diverse.

 

Consider, is the church you're embracing? Is this the worship you’re embracing?