When you and I gather at church to worship, it is important that we approach the Lord with clean hearts.
I was reminded of this fact this morning while reading from Exodus 40. In vv. 30-32, the following words are found:
“He (Moses) placed the basin between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in it for washing, and Moses and Aaron and his sons used it to wash their hands and feet. They washed whenever they entered the tent of meeting or approached the altar, as the LORD commanded Moses.”
We don’t have wash basins in the foyers of our churches so that we can wash our hands and feet before worship. But the idea of approaching the Lord in a cleansed state is still valid because of how it demonstrates the desire to honor the Lord as holy.
Imagine going on a date with a special someone and not apologizing first for a hurtful statement or action in the days preceding the date. There would be a huge cloud over the time together, a cloud that could have been swept away by the humble act of asking forgiveness.
With an apology, though, the date would be so much more enjoyable for both.
I believe that each of us will please the Lord more with our worship “date” if we take a few moments for prayer before the service. Ask God to cleanse you of your sins committed in the past week.
Ask Him to reveal to you any attitudes that need washed away and then give Him the freedom in your heart to do the sanctifying work that is humbling yet helpful.
If your congregation’s pre-service format isn’t conducive to this heart-prep time because of noise in the auditorium, then find an empty classroom for such or take a few moments to do so while still in your car in the parking lot.
You can imagine how pleasing it will be to the Father to see you preparing your heart for worship in this way.
You’ll be honoring Him.
You’ll be preparing yourself for more effective worship.
And you’ll be setting a good example for others who need to do the same.
Please do this whenever you enter the “tent of meeting” at your church.
If you’re already doing this, please drop me a line to share your experiences with me. I’d like to know how others are preparing themselves for worship.
As always, I love you
Martin
