Saturday Morning Heart for Worship

SATURDAY MORNING DEVOTIONAL to PREPARE OUR HEARTS FOR WORSHIP
Pastor Calvin Cook
WORSHIP – BEING EMPTY
Several years ago, I was traveling and came upon a gas station that had really cheap gas. Not knowing the area or the gas station, I bought into the savings and filled my almost empty tank up at quite a savings. It wasn’t very far that I noticed the engine of my vehicle seemed to be working harder, sputtering, chugging at times, only for me to realize that I had filled up with gas that was not what I was used to and certainly not what the vehicle engine was used to for optimum running.
I feel that sometimes as we prepare ourselves to come to worship, we do the same thing. We have filled ourselves up with so many other things that we can’t experience optimum running and experience worship in the way that God intends for us to experience. Because of what we filled our lives with the rest of the week, we come to worship if we even take the time, just out of habit, or to get a quick fix, and we leave only refreshed for a moment or not at all. That is not Worship that is a religious practice.
This week in sermon prep on Worship I have been reading in Isaiah 29 about the prophecy to David’s City – Isaiah through the word of the Lord in verse 13 proclaims this :
“And the Lord said: ‘Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men.’”
A definition of real and authentic Worship preparation could be to empty ourselves before the Lord so that we might be filled up with all that God desires to pour into us this day. We might talk a good game, act in a worshipful way, but if our hearts are not where they need to be, we will not be filled edified or will we be giving God all that God is worthy of receiving.
In returning to the bad gas situation, I was glad when the tank was empty once again so that I could fill it with good fuel. May it be with us as well that we empty ourselves so we can fill ourselves with all that God desires for us as we worship –
This is this week’s opening prayer for our worship, may we prepare ourselves for worship whether it be at church, in our living room, walking, driving down the road, or sitting silently in the crowded marketplace, may we come into the presence of the Lord.
Dear Lord, may we as your people draw near not only with our words, but with our whole selves. May our attention leave ungodly desires and focus on you with our whole heart and soul. May we enter into a time of worship with reverence and awe of you. In Jesus name we pray. Amen