Worship

It's Sunday. Hopefully you're headed for church (or you've already been, depending on when you read this). Chances are you just ... showed up. Oh, maybe "just showed up" doesn't express it properly. Likely there were a few tensions in the morning. Seems to be a universal thing. Kids or spouse or unexpected traffic or uncooperative hair or something. But the extent of your preparations was basically to get up, get dressed, and go. "Yeah," I can hear you saying, "What's your point?"

Every weeknight I set out the things I'll need in the morning -- breakfast preparations, prepare some coffee to turn on before I get up, set out my Bible to read, set out my clothes, that sort of thing -- to prepare for ... my workday. Seriously? All that preparation for something as unimportant as work?

So why is it that we can prepare for a morning in the direct presence of God and in the company of the saints by ... doing nothing? Why is it that we prepare more for a job interview than an interview with God? Why not put a little forethought into meeting with God?

There are things you can do. Perhaps your pastor is preaching through a text. You know where he'll be; read it in advance. If nothing else, a psalm or two will help put your mind in the right place. Certainly there is the possibility of prayer prior to church. Prayer for the pastor, the people, your family, your attention span, your heart and attitude, your ministry at the church (You do have a ministry, right?), God's work there ... lots of things. It is likely a good idea to reflect on your sin and confess it. It seems as if there are many good and recommended things we can do in preparation for church.

It just seems wise to prepare to worship. Many of us have already set aside any sense of propriety of dress in church. So what if we're meeting with God? No need to put on anything more dressy than a pair of shorts and flip-flops. Even though studies have shown that how we dress changes how we feel and act. Even though we would routinely dress well in certain circumstances. Just not to meet with God and His people. That doesn't rate. Okay. Fine. I won't fight that fight here. But surely it would be beneficial to you, to your family, to your fellow church folk, your pastor, to everyone involved if you would spend even a little time getting your heart and mind ready for a morning spent in the glorious presence of God. Wouldn't you think?