I didn't get serious about being part of a church until I was in college. Actually, there was an extremely gorgeous college-aged woman that I knew was going to be there, so there was extra incentive to not miss a Sunday.
Being in college, and therefore having a college-style sleep schedule (which basically meant in bed between 3-5 am and sleeping until noon), getting up on Sunday mornings was particularly difficult. However, I had plenty of incentive (see above paragraph), so I rolled out of bed at 10:45, threw on clothes, sped, ran red lights, rolled into the church parking lot on two wheels, ran into the service ten minutes late . . . and wondered why I didn't get much out of the service.
I wouldn't treat work in this manner, or a job interview, or a date with my wife, or anything else that would be seen in my life as important. So why would I treat my one chance per week to worship God with my church family?
What I just described bothers me, because although it may not have been sinful, but it certainly wasn't my best. I hate that. I hate that all those years that I went to church I never gave God my best on Sunday morning. Oh, I gave other things my best- the college soccer team, studying, my fiance, working out- but not Sunday mornings. At the corporate worship service, the time to worship God with my church family, I gave leftovers. I brought an unprepared mind, an unprepared heart- I treated it like an afterthought.
At the height of Israel's devotion to the Lord- under the leadership of Joshua- they were about to enter the promised land. The Lord said, "Consecrate yourselves, because tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you." (Joshua 3:5)
In other words, spend today getting ready for your encounter with God tomorrow. The next day, the Lord stopped up the Jordan river, which was at flood stage, and the entire nation went across on dry land. They then took the city of Jericho without a single siege ramp or battering ram. Truly, the Lord did amazing things among them.
When I read this, I realized with sadness how many amazing things I have missed because I had never "consecrated" myself the day before. I had never gone to bed at a decent time (like I would before a soccer game, a big test, or anything else important) so as to be fully rested and at my best in the morning. I had never spent concentrated time in prayer on Saturday night, preparing my heart for worship, God's word, and the presence of God in the church community. I had never been still, listened for the voice of the Holy Spirit, fearful and awestruck that tomorrow I would be allowed into the presence of the Almighty to worship Him with my heart, soul, mind, and strength.
I had missed all that. Plus, I had missed all the amazing things God wanted to do.
Here is what I suggest to all of you who truly desire to worship God:
1) On Saturday night, pray for your pastors, because we really need it. Pray for the visitors God will bring, pray for the volunteers that will serve, pray for the teenagers and children who will be there. Blanket the worship service in prayer before you go to bed Saturday night.
2) Go to bed at a decent hour, so that you will be able to present to God your best attention. He definitely deserves it.
3) If you have a family, refuse to deal with anything Sunday morning. Don't deal with homework issues, marital issues, housework issues, etc. That is not what Sunday morning is for. Sunday morning is for only one thing- worship of God. All that other stuff can wait until later. Don't give any time or energy or attention to something that would take away from your worship of God.
4) Leave the house so that you arrive at church thirty minutes before the service starts. Don't rush. Walk into the church building with a sense of expectancy that God will do amazing things that morning. Pray for the pastors, the volunteers, the unbelievers that will be there. You might even want to walk the aisles in the sanctuary, praying over each chair that God would touch the person that sits there.
5) Maybe for the first time- thoroughly ENJOY worshiping God, because you were ready for it.
Maybe one of the reasons we don't see more amazing things from God is that Christians simply don't consecrate themselves before worship. We enter worship with the wrong mindset, with the wrong heart, with the wrong attitude, and absolutely no preparation, and therefore miss an amazing encounter with the God of the Universe who loves us and wants to bless us.
What would Sunday morning be like for you and your family if you approached worship this way?
Being in college, and therefore having a college-style sleep schedule (which basically meant in bed between 3-5 am and sleeping until noon), getting up on Sunday mornings was particularly difficult. However, I had plenty of incentive (see above paragraph), so I rolled out of bed at 10:45, threw on clothes, sped, ran red lights, rolled into the church parking lot on two wheels, ran into the service ten minutes late . . . and wondered why I didn't get much out of the service.
I wouldn't treat work in this manner, or a job interview, or a date with my wife, or anything else that would be seen in my life as important. So why would I treat my one chance per week to worship God with my church family?
What I just described bothers me, because although it may not have been sinful, but it certainly wasn't my best. I hate that. I hate that all those years that I went to church I never gave God my best on Sunday morning. Oh, I gave other things my best- the college soccer team, studying, my fiance, working out- but not Sunday mornings. At the corporate worship service, the time to worship God with my church family, I gave leftovers. I brought an unprepared mind, an unprepared heart- I treated it like an afterthought.
At the height of Israel's devotion to the Lord- under the leadership of Joshua- they were about to enter the promised land. The Lord said, "Consecrate yourselves, because tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you." (Joshua 3:5)
In other words, spend today getting ready for your encounter with God tomorrow. The next day, the Lord stopped up the Jordan river, which was at flood stage, and the entire nation went across on dry land. They then took the city of Jericho without a single siege ramp or battering ram. Truly, the Lord did amazing things among them.
When I read this, I realized with sadness how many amazing things I have missed because I had never "consecrated" myself the day before. I had never gone to bed at a decent time (like I would before a soccer game, a big test, or anything else important) so as to be fully rested and at my best in the morning. I had never spent concentrated time in prayer on Saturday night, preparing my heart for worship, God's word, and the presence of God in the church community. I had never been still, listened for the voice of the Holy Spirit, fearful and awestruck that tomorrow I would be allowed into the presence of the Almighty to worship Him with my heart, soul, mind, and strength.
I had missed all that. Plus, I had missed all the amazing things God wanted to do.
Here is what I suggest to all of you who truly desire to worship God:
1) On Saturday night, pray for your pastors, because we really need it. Pray for the visitors God will bring, pray for the volunteers that will serve, pray for the teenagers and children who will be there. Blanket the worship service in prayer before you go to bed Saturday night.
2) Go to bed at a decent hour, so that you will be able to present to God your best attention. He definitely deserves it.
3) If you have a family, refuse to deal with anything Sunday morning. Don't deal with homework issues, marital issues, housework issues, etc. That is not what Sunday morning is for. Sunday morning is for only one thing- worship of God. All that other stuff can wait until later. Don't give any time or energy or attention to something that would take away from your worship of God.
4) Leave the house so that you arrive at church thirty minutes before the service starts. Don't rush. Walk into the church building with a sense of expectancy that God will do amazing things that morning. Pray for the pastors, the volunteers, the unbelievers that will be there. You might even want to walk the aisles in the sanctuary, praying over each chair that God would touch the person that sits there.
5) Maybe for the first time- thoroughly ENJOY worshiping God, because you were ready for it.
Maybe one of the reasons we don't see more amazing things from God is that Christians simply don't consecrate themselves before worship. We enter worship with the wrong mindset, with the wrong heart, with the wrong attitude, and absolutely no preparation, and therefore miss an amazing encounter with the God of the Universe who loves us and wants to bless us.
What would Sunday morning be like for you and your family if you approached worship this way?
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