Ever notice how many seeming random thoughts invade your mind just when you set out to worship? What’s with that?
They weren’t there on the drive in to church. You had GAITHER HOMECOMING HOUR dialed in on your car radidio or some super praise & worship CDs going on – singing along at the top of your voice. Well, unless you had others in the car . . .
You probably were spending a little time while getting yourself ready and dressed to pray for things & people on your prayer list. Took a few minutes to read a few verses out of, say, Galatians 5—
“Live freely, animated and motivated by God’s Spirit. Then you won’t feed the compulsions of selfishness. For there is a root of sinful self-interest in us that is at odds with a free spirit, just as the free spirit is incompatible with selfishness. These two ways of life are antithetical . . . .
“Since this is the kind of life we have chosen, the life of the Spirit, let us make sure that we do not just hold it as an idea in our heads or a sentiment in our hearts, but work out its implications in every detail of our lives.”
Done. Spit and polished and ready inside-and-out for worship. Right?
About halfway to church, here they come:
- The Tepper account! I forgot to log out . . . ah, great.
- “Honey? You have syrup on your tie.”
- What? We don’t have any lanes you like? Try staying in one, you—um, “You are the Source of my strength . . .”
- “I forgot the offering for Teen Strong. We hafta go back! I’ll just DIE if I don’t have it!”
- “You’re making that syrup mess worse by jerking the wheel because you’re mad at—“
- “Look, I can just take the stupid tie off, okay? And speaking of JERKS, did you see how that one’s driving? Aw, man, if I could just— Great! Why do all the JERKS on earth always have to turn where we need to go?
Oh. That’s why.
And you’re ahead of me. Right?
Not only has the peaceful calm of the morning got the jumping fizzies like water in hot oil, another brother or sister headed to your church for worship has been witness to your–what did Paul call it? Oh, yeah. A “compulsion of selfishness”.
Hell figured out long ago that the best way to set the hook in your spirit was to make it seem innocent.
Well, a distraction that’s good, even pleasant, will work just fine if it keeps you from stretching for God’s best for you. It’s worth thinking about, hunh?
Well, sports fans, it’s time to head for worship with all your bro and sis peeps.
Let’s watch out for syrup and all those jerks, now.
© D. Dean Boone, February 2015