Ready For Worship

DateLine (11/29/06 – Nanuet, NY)

It was the Saturday night ritual; pull out the shoe shine box, shine the shoes; find the Sunday School quarterly, read the Sunday School lesson, and lay out the Sunday-go-to-meeting clothes, offering and Bible ready for the next day. I suppose It was born out of necessity given that their were three children in the family; an attempt to diffuse the chaos that surrounds a normal Sunday morning by virtue of night before preparations. The practice too was formed by the era; a time when one was expected to wear “Sunday best” to church and to do your part so that your Sunday School class grade would be high. 100% didn’t just mean that you showed up; it meant that you were in Sunday School, intended to stay for preaching, brought your Bible, contributed an offering and made an outreach contact sometime during the week. When they said Sunday “School” they meant you got a grade. You did not want to be the one who prevented your class from being 100%. To this day I tend to check my shoes on Saturday night to see what kind of shape they’re in for Sunday. So the ritual consisted of one part appearance, one part spiritual, and one part practical.

What’s to be learned from the old fashioned way of Sunday School preparation? There is merit to the concept of preparing for church services prior to the event; especially worship. I can tell you from experience that when I reverently review the providential care afforded to me by the Father during the week just ending and I think ahead in anticipation of a day of worship on Sunday, the quality of my Sunday experience is enhanced. It is inevitable that reflecting on God’s reach to and provision for us reminds us of the sin that lurks within. When our personal evil is exposed, the only response is to bow our spirits in confession. When we confess we move close to God. When we are close to God our understanding of God’s revelation is magnified and gratefulness oozes from us. There is no doubt in my mind that our time together on Sunday morning is dulled because many of us are in recovery from the night before.

It is not my primary interest to simply encourage you to make better preparations for your Sunday worship. There is a greater need during the Holiday season that is before us. God began to prepare for Christmas from the beginning of time. Prophecy foretold of the Christ child to be Savior. Centuries of anticipation made ripe the reception of the Incarnate for those whose who were watching. The journey of the Wise Men was months in the making; gifts were procured in advance; culminating in worship of the new “King.” Even the humble parents; Mary and Joseph; anticipated the birth of Jesus for months. For me it is very easy to rush, heads down, right to the day of Christmas; pre-occupied with the routines of life. By experience I have found that this sacred season commemorating the birth of the Savior of mankind can be overshadowed by ritual, imposed expectations, commercialism, and my own lack of preparation.

What did my childhood Saturday night ritual teach me that can be applied during the Christmas season; prepare, anticipate, and participate. Time spent with family, exchange of gifts with the familiar and the needy, reflection leading to thankfulness and a recognition of blessedness; these are all preparations for the season of Christmas.

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6.

Don’t let the self-absorption of “Saturday night” overshadow the celebration of “Christmas morning.”