I’ve been on a quest recently to improve my personal worship time; to make it more meaningful and fervent. My goal was to take time (linger for the right reason) and create an atmosphere of thanksgiving, adoration, and prayer. Because I love music I knew that’s where this special time with God would begin. I don’t know about you, but praise music makes me feel about as close to Heaven as anything can. I grabbed my iPad, hit the Pandora app choosing the Praise station and soft notes filled my room. The uplifting words filled my soul. My breathing slowed and my heart soared. “WOULD YOU LIKE TO IMPROVE YOUR BRAIN?” What was happening? “TOUCH THE AD NOW TO LEARN MORE!” Startled, I became drawn away from God by a commercial in my worship time!
Now, thinking back, this wasn’t the first time I’ve experienced a “station break” while in worship. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve created grocery lists, to-do lists, even written blog posts in my mind in the midst of a prayer. Have you been there? Or as I’m in a time of praise and thanksgiving, an unanswered prayer or unmet want vies for my attention changing my attitude in a moment. My wandering mind tends to be more focused on the propaganda of my life than it is on being in worship with the One who died to save my life!
“Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.” Colossians 3:1-2 (NLT)
When I’m creating a new “personal worship time” instead of worshiping the Creator, thinking about things I have to do instead of thanking Him for all the things He’s done, or holding onto feelings that I shouldn’t instead of praising the One who holds me in His nail-scarred hand; my focus is on “the things of earth”…ME!
In the end, God doesn’t care if I have a new and improved worship time. There isn’t a worship script He asks us to follow. The truth is that worship isn’t about us at all. Worship is ALL about God and who He is…..”setting our sights on the realities of Heaven”.
“Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth: Worship the Lord with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy. Acknowledge that the Lord is God!
He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation.” Psalm 100
So let’s not just think about it; let’s play the music, sing the songs, lift the prayers, give the thanks, and Worship “for the Lord. Is. Good!” Oh, and those commercials? There’s always the mute button!
Magnify
Uplift
Thank
Exalt
It’s #livefreeThursday an today at http://www.tsuzanneeller.com the prompt is worship.
