Developing A Desire For Worship

The Tennessee Titan’s former head coach, Jeff Fisher, has very recently left the team after a seventeen-season career with them.  When my brother and I were discussing Fisher’s career and decision to leave, he brought up an interesting point.  He said, “Last season Fisher was just going through the motions.  He just wasn’t happy there.”  The team had lost its appeal to Fisher.

What my brother said made me think about going through the motions in church.  Sadly, you can normally look across your pew on Sunday morning and see someone who is just going through the motions.  I believe everyone, including myself, goes through the motions at some point in their Christian life.  It is easy to get discouraged or distracted in life to the point of your Sundays and Wednesdays meaning nothing more than Mondays or Tuesdays.

On some Sundays, my mind is there with the saints worshiping God.  I can tell you that our style of singing was Biblical, the sermon was just as Biblical, our Lord Supper talk was great, we gave a lot in the collection, and our prayers were honoring to God.  Amazingly, despite all of my participation in worship, my heart was not in it.  I didn’t enjoy singing praises to God, and I’m not going home to work on the latest application given by the preacher.  When I get home on those days, I take a nap before I very grudgingly get ready to go back at six p.m. to ‘worship’ God again.

John 4:24 reads, “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”  The verse before, verse twenty-three, says our Father seeks for worshipers like that.  Losing our zeal in worship is not what Christ would call worshiping God in spirit and in truth.

It is easy to worship God in truth, but sometimes the proper spirit doesn’t come easily.  What can be done to develop the truth and spirit in your worship?  Well, tomorrow is Saturday, the day before the Lord’s day.  In order to get prepared for Sunday, I want you to get in bed earlier than you normally would.  As you prepare for bed, if you know the song ‘As The Deer Pants For The Water,’ sing it.  While you hum it or sing it to yourself, think of the words to the first verse.  I believe you will find it encouraging and helpful to get your mind focused on God and ready for the next day.

I hope worshiping God does not lose its appeal to you, and I pray this up-coming Sunday will not be just another Monday for you.