Preparing your heart for Sunday worship

Every Sunday I tell my congregation to prepare their hearts for worship. But what does that really mean?

Getting ready for church on a Sunday morning usually includes things like rushing to get to the church and then talking with people that you know.

It may even include wrangling a couple of kids and a spouse in the process. It can be very stressful and unsettling and in no way gets you ready to meet your Creator.

In Exodus 19:10-11 it says, “Then the Lord said to Moses, Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their clothes. And let them be ready for the third day. For on the third day the Lord will come down upon Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.”

This tells me that getting ready to meet the Lord takes some deep preparation. The Jews were given two days to complete this prep. Much more time than we take on a Sunday morning.

We must remember that we are not spectators who come to church to be entertained or see who can put on the best show. We are there to participate fully in the worship of God.

It is our job to open our senses to what our God has for us by slowing down, concentrating and asking God to come to us with gratefulness and humility.

To focus on God and God only. If your little kids wander down the aisle, don’t worry, we will direct them back to you. In worship, you are God’s and God’s alone and modeling this for children is a positive thing.

Once you get yourself open to God, then be prepared to respond. Experiencing our Lord calls for a reaction on your part. You cannot and must not be passive.

The love of God causes a wide variety of reactions. Some people sing, cry, give money and time to the church, confess, stand and praise, change their lives or even go into the ministry.

None of us react in the same way and we must not judge each other on the appropriateness of our reactions.

Remember, preparing to worship causes grateful responses because of our personal interactions with God. No two people will have the same results.

Lastly, our worship doesn’t stop when the service ends. It continues on by how we respond in our daily lives.

If we are caring and concerned about the things that God has given us and the people who are around us, we are honoring Him. We are still worshiping.

Do you go to church with a heart that is prepared for worship? I truly hope you do and even if you can’t make it to church, you can still open yourself up to your Creator and experience His grace and love.

Remember, God meets you where you are and carries you forward from there. So get ready to meet your Lord and be fully ready to respond.