Respect... counterpoint...

Without getting too deep into anything, I want to make certain that anyone who is reading this is aware that I intend to look at things from all sides.  And with that said, we will go into something today that is certain to stir up debate... and that is okay!  I want people to think and talk and really ponder on how they present themselves, physically and spiritually, to the Lord in worship. 

"The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit.  God, You will not despise a broken and humbled heart."

Psalm 51:17

I mentioned yesterday that I would visit the topic of how we dress for church today.  We'll start with a question I posed to my group of high school boys I teach.  I asked them, "Why is it okay for some ministers and members to dress like they are going to any old event, even though they are coming to church?"  The response I got was not surprising.  They said, "because God cares about your heart... not what you look like."  (Smart boys to realize this at an early age.)

So then I went on, "I understand that, and I agree that your heart and attitude of worship are more important than your dress... but given that we are freed from the trappings of the law and saved by grace, shouldn't we WANT to dress our best when coming to the House of the Lord?"  I received silence as a response.  I then pushed a little further asking, "the last time you went to a funeral, what did you wear?"  Here's what followed:
Boys: "A suit."
Me: "Really?  Why?"
Boys: "Out of respect, of course."
Me: "Respect for whom?"
Boys: "Respect for the dead... you're a funeral director, you know this."
Me: "Hmmm... so you dress up for a dead person, but not for our Living Savior?"
Boys: "....................................................................................................."
Me: "Please know, I am not requesting that you actually do anything different this coming Sunday... all I ask is that you think, honestly, about how you present yourself to the Creator of all things.  Suits are not necessary for worship... preparation of yourself for entry into the presence of God IS necessary."

And, again, I do not intend to make it seem as though I am legalistic about dress code.  I wear jeans to church on occasion, and I have been known to wear shorts to prayer conferences and not have a clean-shaved face at times.  But the example of dress easily relates to how we present ourselves.  And there are a lot of people who will purposefully not dress up, because it is a "man-made" requirement with a certain level of expectation that one be at their best while in church, thus making the "law" a more important facet of worship than God.  Others will say that they always grew up wearing the best of what they had, because that's the way it was in their town/church/home/etc.  That's fine... just as much as it is fine to wear jeans and flip-flops... but the clothing is being used as a metaphor here for something bigger.

How do we prepare ourselves for worship?  Do we focus our heart and mind in prayer before heading to church?  Do we recognize into Whose presence we enter?  Are we aware that God Himself is there with us as we sing and pray and listen and learn?  Are we ready for whatever He has in store, regardless of whether the song is in the right key or from the right artist (speaking directly to myself here), regardless of what book of the Bible the message comes from, regardless of how short or long the message is?  Are we ready, 100%, to encounter and commune with Yahweh, the Creator, the Great I AM, God the Father, the Lord of Hosts, the Alpha and Omega, the King of kings and Lord of lords, the Most Holy and Most High Uncreated One? 

A broken spirit will not be denied, whether in Armani or Goodwill attire... and your shoes don't really matter, so long as your steps are guarded (Ecclesiastes 5:1).  Your heart, your mind, your body and your spirit should all be focused on the respect and love that is due to God and Christ and the Spirit for the amazing grace that has been poured into and onto you, the grace that comes from a Savior giving Himself in your place and mine.  And be clear on the fact that we are not righteous (Romans 3:10), and that He saved us while we were in sin (Romans 5:8) and He gives us the victory to which we so joyfully cling (1 Corinthians 15:55-57), so we should remain joyful in all things (1 Thessalonians 5:16)!

Pray with me today, blessed ones, for the enhancement of awareness of how we prepare ourselves to come to the House of the Lord.  We shouldn't walk in as though it's just any other building, you know... it is our Father's House, and it is a house of prayer and petition and supplication and worship!  Pray over this thought today, and honor the Lord in doing so!

God bless you all!!!