Glad, Not Dragged
- John Young
- 5 days ago
- 2 min read
Text: Psalm 122:1
“I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord.”
David doesn’t say, “I was guilt-tripped.”He doesn’t say, “I was bribed.”He doesn’t say, “I went because it was my turn.”He doesn’t say, “I went just to be seen.”He doesn’t say, “I went out of habit.”He doesn’t say, “I went to check a box.”He doesn’t say, “I went because I had nothing else to do.”
David didn’t go out of obligation—he went out of expectation.
He says, “I was glad.”
That word glad means joyful, excited, relieved—like somebody who knows they’re about to step into something life-giving. David wasn’t excited about the building; he was excited about the encounter.
That’s the difference between attending church and anticipating God.
Glad Because of Who I’m Going to See
David understood something we sometimes forget:
Church isn’t about the people—though we love the people.It’s not about the music—though we enjoy the music.It’s not about the preacher—though… well, praise God 😄It’s about God’s presence.
When I was married (a long time ago), when I came home, my wife would meet me at the door with a smile—because she was glad to see me.
As the marriage went on, she would come halfway down the stairs. The smile wasn’t as bright—but it was still there.
But one day I walked in the door, and she stayed in the room.
That was the red flag... She wasn’t glad anymore.
Gladness reveals desire. Distance reveals disconnect.
Psalm 84:2 says,
“My soul longs, yes, even faints for the courts of the Lord.”
David is saying, “I’ve been in battles all week. I’ve been fighting enemies, carrying stress, holding burdens—but if I can just get to the house of the Lord, something is about to shift.”
Some of us came in tired.Some came in worn down.Some came in barely holding it together.
But gladness shows up when you remember who you’re going to meet.
Reflection
When did worship shift from desire to duty for you? And what would it take to recover the joy of meeting God again?
Invitation to Worship
If you’re tired of routine faith and hungry for a real encounter, this is your invitation.Come expecting. Come open.Come ready to meet God.
Join us for worship this Sunday—and don’t just come to attend. Come to encounter.
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