Undivided Worship

In 1 Thessalonians 5:17, the Apostle Paul makes an admonition — we are to "pray without ceasing."   I have got better at this over the last few years, and these days my conversations with God are frequent.  

"Thanks Lord for this day"

"Thanks God, I asked you for 4 hours straight sleep last night, and I got it!!"

"Oh God, I'm SO tired..... please please please help me get through today....."

"God, I need inspiration, I don't know what to cook tonight"

"God, give me patience.  This children are driving me crazy right now!  Aaaaggghhhh!!!"

"Thank-you Father for my home and family.  Show me how to best minister to them today"

"Lord, bless my husband today.  Keep him safe and bring him home to us soon"

.........etc., etc., etc., etc.  The conversation goes on and on.  Since learning to lean on Him and converse with Him throughout my day (and often nights too) I feel supported and encircled in love and protection.  I feel peace, calm (most of the time!), and answers to the many questions which cross my mind.  It is beyond a blessing, and I can't remember how I ever got through anything before I got to know God personally in my life!

But today at church Gwen spoke about the 3 things that can detract from truly worshipping God.  Really spending time just devoted to Him, learning more about Him and praising Him for all He's done for us.

1.  Our circumstances.  It's easy to praise God when everything's great, but harder when things aren't going so well.  

2.  Our self-reliance.  Believing that we can do things on our own, and that all good things that happen are because of what we've done.  

3.  Distractions around us.  Spending time with God (church, Bible-study, prayer, listening to worship music, etc.) but thinking about other things while we do it (kids, work, what we're doing tomorrow, etc.)

As I was listening, I realised that I really struggle with number 3.

As a Mum......... as a person, my mind is full of many distractions.  I don't really create within my day a time to give JUST to God.  When we're busy I think it's valuable to be able to "pray without ceasing" as we go about our day.  But I also realise I owe it to God to give Him my undivided attention as well.  Just as my husband and children deserve one-on-one attention from me, so does my Heavenly Father.  I know that sometimes I can sit and read a whole passage of  my Bible, yet at the end of it remember nothing of what I've just read. 

 

So today I am thinking about how I can discipline my mind to not think about other things while spending special time with God.  I still need to tend to the needs of the children, but I think other things can wait.  Like the phone ringing, or the mental shopping list I'm making in my head. :)  This week I'm going to try some undivided worship.  I know when I spend time with God first, everything else falls into place!

(I have no idea why this font is so small.  I can't get Blogger to make it any bigger!  Sorry. :()