Driven By Distractions

On Sundays we are in the middle of a series about Worship as an Act of Defiance. This is a strange title, I know. But I think that it is helpful to me to realize that worship is more than a time to feel emotionally good, but a true transformational event. When I enter into the presence of God, I am stating to God and all who would hear, that I am His and He is my Lord and King. I submit to His leading's and I follow Him not anyone or anything else. And that is an act of defiance to all the powers and principalities of this world. Strong language and for most of us language that makes us uncomfortable, I get that.

It is like this. Most of us, including me have a tendency to walk around as if we are sleepwalking. Unaware that all around us something big is going on. Have you ever seen a sleep walker. My friend's daughter is a sleepwalker. We were hanging out one night when all of a sudden there she was in the middle of the living room. She was in her pajamas, her eyes were wide open, she was staring at us. I said, "Hi", she did not say anything. She looked alert and present, for all I could tell, no different than a couple of hours earlier at dinner. My friend said, "She is asleep." I could not believe it. She was sleeping, and in her mind a whole other scene was being played out, when the reality of the situation was she was standing in the living room of her house. The next day she of course remembered nothing of the events that I saw.

We are sleepwalking. God is in the middle of this epic battle and we are lulled to sleep by our simple ordinary lives. We are living in a dreamland unaware of what is really going on around us. Worship, when we fully participate and are present, awakens our hearts mind and souls to the working of God and invites us to join Him. That is not only dangerous but is defiant to the forces that are singing us to sleep.

Distractions are one of those lullabies. Distractions are outside stimuli that draw our attentions away from the things we are attempting to focus in on, like God. So how do we fight the distractions in our lives? I know what works for me is the same thing that has worked for those who have gone before us. Practicing those disciplines that keep use centered and focused: Centering Prayer, Lectio Divina, Prayer of Examen. The problem arises when we start talking this busyness with a list of things to do. So how about trying this? This Sunday wherever you worship, plan your day a little differently than in the past. Leave the house with every intention of getting to your community worship event 30 minutes early. Sit in the back or parking lot or park close by and read Psalm 84 aloud and rest in the words. Pray silently asking God to prepare your heart and the heart of all those that you worship with for a transformational experience. Be still during this time.

I wonder what our time of worship would be like if we could do this on a regular basis. Most of us arrive to our collective times, rushed feeling late so that it is 20 minutes after we arrive that we actually arrive mentally and spiritually. This other practice can and does help. If you are going to take the time to worship collectively with others, you might as well do it right, all the way. I caution you however, when God does reveal His purposes to you and your community, it will not be an easy path, but it beats walking around asleep.

Peace

Edwin