Prepared

⁴ Enter his gates with thanksgiving,     and his courts with praise!     Give thanks to him; bless his name!⁵ For the Lord is good;     his steadfast love endures forever,     and his faithfulness to all generations. Psalm 100:4....."We must never rest until everything inside us worships God."  A.W. Tozer

Back in the 1990's, I was involved in what were called "The Worship Wars." Church folk, who can find most anything to fight about, were fighting about the style of worship in their church. There were basically two main views, with a third entered for compromise. There were people who wanted a traditional service, highlighted by hymns, choirs, organs, and pianos. Then there were the contemporary worship folks who wanted more modern choruses, with a faster beat and rhythm, and the use of guitars, keyboards, drums, and whatever else was handy. The third option was to offer a blend of both, with not too much emphasis on either. As I look back, I realize that very little of it was about worship. Tastes and preferences, yes, but not about worship. Not really about it at all. Someone said at the time that we didn't love each other enough to participate in each other's style of worship. They were right.

As I think back on all of that, I realize we had little interest in worship at all. Someone asked the question recently as to whether our response to our music was centered in our emotions or in our spirit. I think the fact that we can get so heated about style gives the answer to that. A worshiper will worship, as Jesus said, "in spirit and in truth." He never said anything about style.I think in the modern western church, we put a great deal of time into planning and preparing for our worship services, centering on practicing what we'll be singing and playing. How much time do we use preparing our hearts? From the worship leader, down to each team member, and out into the congregation, do we come with hearts not only prepared to worship, but have already entered into worship before we arrive. Does our worship spring from a lifestyle of worship or are we looking to the leader and their team to "get us in the mood?" It's been my observation that half the crowd doesn't arrive until the 2nd or 3rd song. They're usually distracted and tend to stay distracted through the service.

I've heard many a worship leader complain about lack of participation from the fellowship. I have to ask, how much time have they, as leaders, spent in prayer over the very people they're serving? Praying that they would become those who do worship Him in spirit and in truth. What's the main motive? The feeding of their own egos or pleasing and honoring the heart of God? Indeed, how much time does the average leader of worship, be it musician, singer, overall leader, spend preparing themselves through the week for the coming together of His people? Coming together for the purpose of centering on Him, and giving Him all the glory? What is really the focus of our worship? Man centered or God centered?

Let me stress that worship is not just about the music. Not at all. The bringing of His Word is really the center of it all. In my particular denomination, the decision was made in the beginning to have the pulpit be in the center of the platform, symbolizing that the preaching of His Word was central to all. This then demands that the pastor, as overall spiritual leader of the fellowship and the worship service, must have the most prepared heart of all. They should enter every service with a sense of reverence, awe, and unworthiness to be there. They should be totally yielded to Him and completely dependent upon Him for everything. I wonder how many of our current pastor/preachers do? I'm reminded of a story I heard years ago. A young man studying for the ministry was invited by a church to preach. It was his first public sermon. He was educated, well spoken, and believed himself completely ready to bring a wonderful message. The results were just the opposite. It was a disaster. He had entered that pulpit filled with pride and self-confidence. He left it humbled and humiliated. A kind and saintly brother took him aside afterwards and said, "Young man, you should have come into the pulpit in the manner that you left it. Humbled and broken. Learn from this." I hope he did. I hope we will.

There is so much more to say about this. I pray we really will be skilled worshippers of the King. I pray we will enter into it not just with our emotions, but all of our being. I pray we will take seriously and with reverence and awe, the worship that is due His name. I pray that it begins now. With you, and with me.

Blessings,

Pastor O