As Christians, Sunday morning should be a time of expectation and excitement for us. We’re meeting with the living God! The living God is meeting with us! Therefore, we should “ENTER His gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise” (Psalm 100:4). A thankful heart, then, is something we bring to church, not something we get at church.
Sunday morning is the time, and the local church is the place, where you and I gladly, willingly, deliberately and purposefully come to give thanksgiving and praise to God for all that He has done, is doing and will do.
This should change the way we view and treat our “going to church”. Attendance means “being present”. But we shouldn’t just want to be present. We should want to be active, i.e. participating, giving, receiving, responding. Thanksgiving and praise are activities of a heart that has been renewed by the Holy Spirit.
To that end, there are things we can do to help us get the most out of Sunday, actions that we can take to actively pursue all that God has for us, and in this way honor Him and value the time.
Be early
Most of us will be on time for any commitment we have. A doctor appointment? A dinner appointment? A counseling appointment? On time. I would encourage you to be early for church. Come hang out with people. Spend a few minutes in quiet prayer. Soak in the atmosphere.
Take the first step
The service doesn’t solely depend on the worship team or the preacher. Take the first step and prepare your heart, speak to your soul, focus your mind, get to know people in your row -- make a difference.
Write
I’m an avid iPhone user, but more than ever I’m dedicated to writing in my journal. A pen and paper can help you focus and help you remember things better than a screen and app can. Plus, with technology, I’m always one tap away from being distracted!
Smile and Serve
Be generous with your time. Smile. Ask someone how they are doing. Serve someone a cup of coffee. Help someone out to their car. Find some way to leave an impression of kindness.
Sleep
It’s hard to focus when you’re tired. While God can speak to you in your sleep, you can only pursue God when you’re awake! Try to go to bed on time.
Expect
God delights in revealing Himself to His people! He desires to speak to us and to change us. Never expect to leave God’s presence the same way you came in.
This post was provoked and inspired in part by this article written by Brian Houston. Check it out: http://hillsongcollected.com/leadership/hillsong-conference-2013-revival-starts-with-me
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