Preparing for worship

Your life needs to be an act of worship.


OK? So? Why would you need to prepare for worship?

That's just it. There wouldn't need to be a preparation if you already are in a worship mindset.

I found myself having to force myself to "prepare" this morning. I did not wake up in the act of worship. I did not let my attitude, actions, and words worship Him. It was not that I was in a "bad" mood. I just did not wake up choosing to hand my day to the Father and worship Him in all I do.

Thing after thing effected the day to the negative. The morning (seemed) to be slammed with events that turned my focus from what the day is all about, rest. I was ignoring Who my rest was supposed to be in. I was choosing to give foot hole after foot hole to the enemy. He was taking my day, I was allowing it, and it wasn't even 9 a.m.

By the time I made it to church, 15 minutes late, the first friend I came to had a similar morning and so together we wallowed in our own self-pity. The progression was continuing it's downward spiral.

I don't really know at "what" point my attitude changed but in between Sunday School and service something clicked. I was turning the Lord's day into my day? Why was I allowing the "issues" I had encountered that morning to shape the rest of His day? My Maker had been pushed aside by the meaningless mountains that I thought stood in my way. He had taken a side seat to my "trials" and was waiting patiently for me to figure that out.

I had not prepared for worship. I didn't thank Him for the first acknowledged breath I took this morning. I had not praised Him for the sunshine. I had not worshipped Him for the freedom I find in the states to worship freely. I didn't make the choice to choose Him. Because I did not prepare for the storm, the breeze blew me over.

And, I was getting ready to walk into His house and stand before Him lying with every lyric I sang. In my drive to church my heart ached for the fact that I didn't put Him first. "In the beginning, God." End of story. He is the beginning of the world, this life, my day. In the silence that surrounded me in my car, my heart turned to worship.

No ruined clothes, emotional mornings, forgetful minds, clumsy actions stood in the way of me and my God. In the most random place, weirdest time, I gave my day to Him. I know I blew the first several hours of it. But, that is the beauty of redemption.

He took my broken, disheveled mess. I didn't have my firsts to give Him because I chose to throw them away. But, He took what I could give.

Tonight I am thanking my God for forgiveness, second chances, new opportunities, and the opportunities for second firsts.