My brother used to have a cute story about preachers. You have to know that I, of course, am a preacher and he’s not. He used to define a preacher in this way. “A preacher is someone who will walk ten miles to preach a sermon and won’t walk across the street to hear one.”
I guess in some ways that fits me. In other ways it doesn’t. He and I are two people who literally have been going to church and worship all of our lives. Our parents were faithful in worship and ministry before we were born. We never missed a Sunday morning worship service. It was who they were, and it is still who Vance and I are.
Therefore, I’ve had a lot of experience in worship. How do you prepare and get yourself ready for worship?
All this week I will be writing about various aspects of worship. If you would like to read these blogs about worship and interact with me about them, please go to waylonbailey.com each day. You can also subscribe at the top of the page to receive a reminder email each time I post a new message.
First, to get yourself ready for worship next weekend begin planning today. If you want to meet with God (isn’t this the goal of worship?), you need to be meeting with Him before the church gathers for worship. If you ignore God or are too busy to meet with Him during the week, your corporate worship is going to be missing a vital element.
Second, prepare for worship by reading God’s Word and spending time with Him. If you don’t exactly know how to do that, simply begin by telling God you would like to get to know Him or to get closer to Him. That simple statement will make God smile. He’s been waiting for you to get to this point.
I suggest you read the Prophecy of Malachi. It’s only 54 verses. Malachi preached about the importance of true worship. This will allow God’s Spirit to teach you about worship.
Finally, ask God to make the coming weekend of worship special to you and your family.
Preparing for worship is simple in implementation and profound in results. You’ll be blessed to prepare in this way.
5 Responses
Thank you!
These steps are essential to get to the true worship found revealed in Romans 12: 4 & 5.
🙂
“…Without Me you can do nothing.”
Blessings
I can’t help but think of the folks who only think about God on the weekend. The wife and I viewed a segment of in a news program this weekend wherein a holocaust survivor was interviewed. She lost her entire family in the holocaust and was the only one who made it out alive. The news interviewer asked the question of the survivor whether she had ever given thought as to why she was the only survivor of her entire family of seven. Her answer astounded me. She said “it was just by chance” that she survived. She, being of Jewish beliefs, surly knows of God but never hesitated to deny that God or His Providence had any part in her survival. She is like those that only think of God at the time they go to church. Thank you Pastor for helping us realize the importance of having God and our Savior Jesus Christ in our lives every minute, every hour, every day. I think of the Psalm that reads Create in me a clean heart O’ God and renew in me a loyal Spirit.
I have read and re-read ‘Practicing The Presence of God” by Brother Lawrence. This is a short, but stirring story about a man in the late 1600s who continually had a true relationship with God. When I heard Waylon speak on Saturday night , I couldn’t help but think about this story.
I have read the story of Brother Lawrence. It is essential for true worship. Thanks for reminding us.
Lord of all pots and pans and things,
since I’ve no time to be a great saint
by doing lovely things,
or watching late with Thee,
or dreaming in the dawnlight,
or storming heaven’s gates,
make me a saint by getting meals,
and washing up the plates.
Warm all the kitchen with Thy Love,
and light it with Thy peace;
forgive me all my worrying,
and make my grumbling cease.
Thou who didst love to give men food,
in room, or by the sea,
accept the service that I do,
I do it unto Thee.
Amen
Brother Lawrence by report