I ended last week by attending Falls Creek as a sponsor with the youth from Sooner Baptist Church. As I sat in the evening worship service, I realized how many distractions there are apart from electronics. Often times I have the potential to be a distraction myself.
At camp there is little cell phone service, and ideally, the kids do not keep their phones with them (although, each group has a few rebels). For one week there is no Internet, no TV, no family problems, nothing to distract you from being in God’s presence…except for the other thousand people around you.
Waiting for service to start Friday evening, I noticed the teens in front of me playing a little game. A boy kept trying to place his nose on another girl’s shoulder (I know, it’s ridiculous, but apparently also popular). As the worship portion of the service began, I noticed they continued to do it one or two more times before being reminded it was time to focus.
I mention this to illustrate that even with the best intentions to get away and find an isolated place to meet with Jesus, there will always be a choice between being distracted or being focused. Wherever there is a desire to see God, there will be an attack surrounding us in an attempt to distract us. There is also a tendency to be that distraction ourselves when we are around others. We cannot always isolate ourselves, but we can choose to ignore all the distractions around us, at home, at camp and even at church.
Why do we often feel the need to isolate ourselves in order to meet with God? If you are a child of His, He is IN you wherever you go. When was the last time you walked into church, God’s House, with the intent of only talking to God? The church is not a building for fellowship with people alone, but to meet with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords (I am not saying that building relationships within the church body is wrong, but it can often times lead to distractions).
What kind of example do you set for your friends during worship? For your family? For the guests in your church? What do your actions reveal about your heart’s intention to simply worship?
Worship is not about the song choices, the band or the choir or even the stories told. Worship is about the position of your heart as you present your praise to an audience of One.
This week, I want to challenge you to intentionally avoid distractions and avoid being a distraction to others.