Prepping for Sunday
'Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”
And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” Isaiah 6:8 (NIV)
What do you want to do for our anniversary, he asked? Let's go out for dinner, I said, and that's exactly what we did. No planning, no discussing, just being picked up and arriving. It was spontaneous and it was not planned. It was lovely. Sometimes lack of planning is exciting. You just don't know where he is going to take you.
Not so with Sunday. It is unfortunate when I show up for Church with as much planning. How do you prepare to meet your church family? On a whim? I hope not. Is it a hurry up and get out the door, upsetting type of day, or a more thoughtful, relaxed and excited type of day? Is it worth it? What are you getting out of it? Do you ever even consider staying in bed? Oh no. If that's me, then I need to rethink where my heart is.
You see for some, they have made Sunday their beginning of the week day or even more than that, their 'it's all about me' day of the week! They go to church to be entertained or to be a spectator. Perhaps a bit selfish, they want others to make sure that they get what they need. Feed me. Take my kids. Welcome me. Compliment me. Notice me. Serve me. Good grief.
For others, they have made Sunday an extension of their Monday through Friday work week. They show up to fulfill their duties as: greeter, Sunday School teacher, Worship leaders, Preachers, and the rest. There are lists prepared and items checked off for all the things that need to be done. Song lists are prepared on Monday and sent out. Worship teams gather for practice. Teachers and preachers prepare their lessons and sermons during the week. Supplies are purchased. Bills are paid. Buildings are cleaned. Things get done and people oil the machine. God bless these types, but there must be something missing. So, how should we prepare?
I would think that I should prepare to make Sunday my fun day and to find Him there through my prayers to Him throughout the week. The stage must be built during the week, but I need to know that He will be speaking to me in the songs and the teaching and the preaching and to be ready to respond to Him with the right attitude. That is no casual thing. To see Him and to know Him is overwhelming. His love and mercy toward me should make my heart tremble. So I should be prepared through Jesus to receive what He has for me.and to come boldly to the throne of grace with confidence, not casually but with humility and gratefulness.
So, even now they come to His House. They come prepared and ready to respond because they know Him! They are ready. Watching and waiting for Him to move and for things to happen. Experiencing His Greatness moves our hearts and we worship Him in all of His beauty. We sing to Him, we confess our sins, we receive His Word, we take communion, we give our tithes, we do it all in grateful adoration and all because we have seen the Father and what He has done for us through His Son,
One more thing. Our worship doesn't stop there. We come to church to serve. We greet one another, we pray for one another, we encourage one another, we care for one another. It becomes more about each other and less about me. It becomes my life. Each day. Every day. I prepare for church by checking my heart and my life. Is there more room in it for another God experience? What else can I do for You today Lord? Respond. That's where I want to be. Like an excited child with hands waving in the air. You just don't know where He is going to take you.. Here I am Lord! Send me!
And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” Isaiah 6:8 (NIV)
What do you want to do for our anniversary, he asked? Let's go out for dinner, I said, and that's exactly what we did. No planning, no discussing, just being picked up and arriving. It was spontaneous and it was not planned. It was lovely. Sometimes lack of planning is exciting. You just don't know where he is going to take you.
Not so with Sunday. It is unfortunate when I show up for Church with as much planning. How do you prepare to meet your church family? On a whim? I hope not. Is it a hurry up and get out the door, upsetting type of day, or a more thoughtful, relaxed and excited type of day? Is it worth it? What are you getting out of it? Do you ever even consider staying in bed? Oh no. If that's me, then I need to rethink where my heart is.
You see for some, they have made Sunday their beginning of the week day or even more than that, their 'it's all about me' day of the week! They go to church to be entertained or to be a spectator. Perhaps a bit selfish, they want others to make sure that they get what they need. Feed me. Take my kids. Welcome me. Compliment me. Notice me. Serve me. Good grief.
For others, they have made Sunday an extension of their Monday through Friday work week. They show up to fulfill their duties as: greeter, Sunday School teacher, Worship leaders, Preachers, and the rest. There are lists prepared and items checked off for all the things that need to be done. Song lists are prepared on Monday and sent out. Worship teams gather for practice. Teachers and preachers prepare their lessons and sermons during the week. Supplies are purchased. Bills are paid. Buildings are cleaned. Things get done and people oil the machine. God bless these types, but there must be something missing. So, how should we prepare?
I would think that I should prepare to make Sunday my fun day and to find Him there through my prayers to Him throughout the week. The stage must be built during the week, but I need to know that He will be speaking to me in the songs and the teaching and the preaching and to be ready to respond to Him with the right attitude. That is no casual thing. To see Him and to know Him is overwhelming. His love and mercy toward me should make my heart tremble. So I should be prepared through Jesus to receive what He has for me.and to come boldly to the throne of grace with confidence, not casually but with humility and gratefulness.
So, even now they come to His House. They come prepared and ready to respond because they know Him! They are ready. Watching and waiting for Him to move and for things to happen. Experiencing His Greatness moves our hearts and we worship Him in all of His beauty. We sing to Him, we confess our sins, we receive His Word, we take communion, we give our tithes, we do it all in grateful adoration and all because we have seen the Father and what He has done for us through His Son,
One more thing. Our worship doesn't stop there. We come to church to serve. We greet one another, we pray for one another, we encourage one another, we care for one another. It becomes more about each other and less about me. It becomes my life. Each day. Every day. I prepare for church by checking my heart and my life. Is there more room in it for another God experience? What else can I do for You today Lord? Respond. That's where I want to be. Like an excited child with hands waving in the air. You just don't know where He is going to take you.. Here I am Lord! Send me!
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