Preparing for Worship (by Debra Walters)

In order to be adequately prepared to worship, we must look at praise and worship as a lifestyle, not as a genre. We worship in many ways: through relationships, through our giving, at work, and through our actions. Psalm 34:1 says, “I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.”

The praise that emerges from our actions should match, if not exceed, the praise that comes out of our lips. Our lives should continuously be a song of praise. That song of praise is a reflection of a heart of gratitude; gratitude for life, forgiveness, and for each new thing that God does daily in our lives. (Matt. 12:34b “Out of the Overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks.”) By reminding ourselves daily of the goodness of God, our hearts will be filled with gratitude and ready to worship at any time. Focusing on Him, instead of on ourselves, helps us achieve that heart

We must make a conscious choice to worship, understanding that we have a big God who wants our worship. We have to recognize that praise does not depend on how we feel (which changes), but on who He is (which does not change). Therefore, our praise should always be great because He is always great.

What are some reasons to worship? You are alive and you know Him. That is reason enough. As I see others navigating life confused and unable to understand God, I am thankful that I know him. Last night, as we were taking a drive, Eric and I were discussing our family’s events of the past year (the birth of our son and loss of an income). At one point I asked him, “Can you imagine going through this without God?” NO WAY! God is the only reason we stand. (Psalm 103 “Bless the Lord O my soul and forget not all his benefits.”)

Should preparing our hearts to worship take three days of soul searching and reflecting? No. Is it an uber (super or ultra) spiritual experience? No. We should live in such a way that at any time we can go on and on about the faithfulness of our Daddy. Let’s live a life so simple and distraction-free that we can remain aware of who God is, being ready and willing to humble ourselves and pour out our lives in praise. Understanding where we could be and who we would be if it were not for His grace. That is reason enough to shout, cry, jump, and just all-out express ourselves!

Let’s prepare our hearts not just for Sunday worship, but for continuous worship. What we do publicly on Sundays is just a small spec of the life of worship, not the epitome. If we learn to live a life of worship, our job on Sunday will be as natural as breathing.