Come, now is the time to worship...by Tony C

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend filled with love, family and most importantly God. We are all truly blessed beyond any possible means of expressing or demonstrating our appreciation...but I believe effort does counts.

This last week of Decemeber, each of your Kingdom Bloggers is going to share a frequently pesky hindering to our regular worship. While not limited to a weekly corporate worship service, that's where I will be in my post today.

A few years ago, I shared on Kingdom Bloggers my rough beginnings joining the Praise Team for the church where I attend. Often during that time, my focus during church worship services were far from thoughts of my beloved Savior. While I've settled into the role and completely relish the relationships I've developed in my 'small group', there are still times that my focus drifts more to the mechanics of the task at hand and are less on making a joyful noise for Him.

Satan surely knows exactly which buttons to push...

Over the course of the past few years, there have been regular occurrences where I'm playing a hymn for the very first time. Not just playing...but often hearing it for the first time too. Who would have guessed there are a number of differences in hymnals between denominations?

Our band plays two services: a traditional service at 8:30 am and a contemporary service at 11 am with Sunday School sandwiched in between. While our second service is often planned and practiced prior to Sunday morning, the traditional service music is never that way. As a matter of fact, the hymns are often chosen mere moments before services start.

I actually feel a bit of anxiety just typing that stated fact...

Here's where my worship hindrance can often be found. I earnestly try to prepare for worship services each week by praying and focusing on my 15 minute drive to church. Many times, that drawing close to my Father is quickly evaporated when the anxieties come with the loss of confidence in the abilities God has given me to play drums.

My focus shifts to me and away from our most worship-worthy Creator.

There's a continuing effect at times too. During a service where I know I've...well...been far less than stellar (a nice way of saying I stunk it up), my mind is often fixated on the proverbial water under the bridge and less on the message God wants me to hear that morning.

God deserves my very best effort beyond all doubt. What I need to fully accept and realize is my best effort to Him most likely involves the condition of my heart when I worship...not the perfect timing of my drumming.

Pa, rum, pa, pum, pum.