As I came through the doorway the other day with my hands full of groceries and a million other things on my mind, my dog Roxie started barking and jumping around at my feet. She was so happy to see me, as always, doing everything she could to get my attention, barking & jumping and wagging her tail in excitement. But I was busy....I had more groceries to carry in, clothes to put in the wash, floors to sweep, dinner to make....I didn't even acknowledge she was there. Realizing that I was not going to play with her right then, she simply plopped down on her bed and waited for me. Later, when I finally had a minute to sit down, she immediately ran over and jumped up in my lap, wiggling with happiness and giving kisses. She loves me no matter what. I could walk in the door, yell at her to go away and ignore her existence and yet this doesn't discourage her at all. She simply waits for me to calm down and then she runs to me to let me know she loves me, unconditionally. She worships the ground I walk on! This got me to thinking about worship. How do you define worship? Is it just a word to describe the morning service at church? Is it just the act of standing, singing, bowing the head and sitting when told? I mean after all, you are in "Worship Service" and if you do what everyone else does you are "worshiping" right? I have heard comments in the past like, "We had to stand up and sing too long this morning." or "I just can't worship if the choir isn't wearing their robes, it distracts me." or "That sermon was too long. We shouldn't have to sit there so long." or "Did you see what so and so was wearing this morning?!" I admit, I have had some truly silly thoughts sometimes during worship service too. I am just as guilty as the next person. Sometimes I don't like the songs, or my back starts to ache from sitting too long, or my stomach starts to growl with hunger, or I start thinking about all the stuff I need to get done when I get home, and I get distracted. But why are we in that sanctuary to begin with? Why are we attending the "Worship Service"? Are we there to critique the choir's wardrobe or the songs we sing? Are we there to be entertained? Are we there to make sure all the other members, and all the staff, are following all the rules and doing what they, in my opinion, are supposed to be doing? Are we there to time the music, the sermon, the sitting, the standing.... or are we there to Worship God? There are a million things that we can be distracted with during the worship service.... but only ONE thing we have to be focused on....worshiping God. As we enter the sanctuary this coming Sunday, stop at the doorway, take off that big, heavy, overcoat of distractions and leave it there....outside the sanctuary. Why would you bring it in with you? I mean, it is called a "sanctuary".....a place of peace, a place of refuge from the storm! Then once you have entered the sanctuary, focus your mind on one thing...."Worship". If we all truly did this, if we all truly laid down our distractions at the door and entered the sanctuary to do nothing but worship...just imagine...just imagine the worship service we would have!!! And to think, it took a dog to make me think about worship like this! But you know what? My dog is also a perfect picture of how God loves us! She adores me, no matter what I do, no matter how much I ignore her, she just sits there waiting on me to calm down and turn to her, and when I do she RUNS to me. My Savior loves me, no matter what. I've been purchased by His blood. I am His and He is mine, and even if I ignore Him sometimes, He will still be there waiting on me to calm down and turn to Him, and He will accept me and RUN to me with open arms. Oh to be like my puppy dog, able to worship without distraction, and able to love without condition.
Blessings, Amy :)
* A wonderful article on worship:
http://www.christianitytoday.com/tc/2007/001/2.27.html
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