I was 22 or 23 years old when I first began to realize how spiritually important "preparation" was to a congregation's coming together to meet with and worship God.  Pragmatically, I recognized how vital it was for we musicians to rehearse before the worship services began, but I quickly began to see much more than that.

In my own life, I experienced a profound difference between times when I would pray and worship before I showed up for Sunday services and times when I would basically just get up and go.  When I would "prepare", it seemed that I would "connect" with God more quickly and come away "fuller" somehow than when I didn't prepare.  As a worship leader, I also noticed a "difference" between people who regularly "flew" into church late and those who regularly came early to either pray quietly or read the scriptures before the service began.

Through the years that followed, I would often ponder why it was that we Christians were so prone to rush into God's presence. It remains an enigma.

It's possible that the "casual" nature of Evangelical worship in many congregations has encouraged this.  I'm not thinking so much in terms of "come as you are", but rather -- for example -- of the ways in which the reading of the scriptures, the performing of baptisms, and the serving of Holy Communion are handled. Scriptures are quoted without prayers of illumination.  Baptisms are performed without the benefit of creedal confessions, and the Eucharist is served without the words of institution or prayers of consecration.  And it's not that omitting such practices is wrong or sinful -- but rather, that it's simply not beneficial. We're missing out somehow on what could be.

People frequently seem to "squeeze" church into their weekend agendas. In fact, it is now common for folks to only attend a worship gathering once every 3-6 weeks.  I guess one way to avoid "preparing" ourselves to encounter God together is to just not attend such gatherings.

The absence of silence in most churches is further evidence that we're too often prone to "rush."  We've been culturally conditioned to see unexpected times of quiet as "dead time" and thus a waste of time.

To some extent, "rushing" is a cultural phenomenon.  In many African and Hispanic congregations, it is common for worship gatherings to go 3 or 4 hours or longer.  This is also very common outside of North America and Europe.

We rush INTO God's presence. We rush while we're IN God's presence. And we're eager to rush OUT of God's presence and back into our busy lives.  Lord, have mercy on us!

Yes it's true: God's presence is everywhere, and there is nowhere where His presence is not. Yet it is also true that we uniquely enter and experience God's presence when we get alone to pray and when we meet with other believers to worship together.  Both are vitally important to our spiritual health, growth, and effectiveness.  And both are certainly NOT worth rushing into.

Once in God's presence, we are also tempted to "rush." Many of us do not know how to "linger" or take the time to "listen" while we're with God.  But we'll save that discussion for another time.

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O Lord, our God, teach us, we beg of you, to ask you in the right way for the right blessings.  Steer the vessel of our life towards yourself, tranquil haven of storm-tossed souls.  Show us the course in which we should go.  Renew a willing spirit within us.  Let your Spirit curb our wayward senses, and guide and enable us unto that which is our true good, to keep your laws, and in all our works evermore to rejoice in your glorious and gladdening presence.  For yours is the glory and praise from all your saints, for ever and ever. (- St. Basil, 4th century, adapted)

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I welcome your thoughts and comments -- especially in terms of "how" we rush into God's presence either corporately (during worship services/gatherings) or privately.

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Photo credit: Highway Video, via avisualplanet.com