I love the aroma of popcorn, don’t you? One of my favorite childhood memories was preparing popcorn “the old fashioned way.” A huge stockpot, a cup of Crisco in the bottom, loose dried corn obtained in bulk, and a hot stove. The “ding” and “pop” of the corn hitting the side of the massive aluminum pot was music to my ears! Later I thought we were in a new modern age when Jiffy Pop ® could be cooked in its stove-popping pan! (Those of you over the age of 40 will identify with that “popcorn sensation!”) I remember explaining to our youngest niece several years ago that popcorn didn’t originally come in a microwave bag. She was surprised, which made me chuckle! (And I felt a little old).
It was a few nights ago, I was digging through the cupboard for a snack. I was looking for a healthy snack, but nothing appealed to my taste at that particular moment. Sometimes healthy and the word snack just don’t compute. You’ve been there? Where you’re looking in the refrigerator? Looking in the pantry? Searching through a miscellaneous drawer wondering if a piece of chocolate was accidentally lost there?
I found my treat – I had hit the proverbial jackpot – Extra Butter seasoned microwave popcorn – none of that 98% fat free stuff for me on that night!
As the music of the dancing corn began to “pop! Bam! Bing!” in the bag…I inhaled deeply. There’s something magical about the aroma of popcorn wafting through the house. It’s cozy. It’s appetizing. It’s nostalgic. But I noticed something different. What was going on? The bag didn’t grow very much…not much height to it at all. But it smelled good. It sounded good. It otherwise looked good. I kept going!
I let the remaining minute of time finish the bag. My eyes glued to it. A mistake! The odor went from delicious and tantalizing to burnt and scorched within a matter of seconds. Boooo! Nobody likes burnt popcorn!
I empted my scorched corn into a large bowl. I notice lots and lots of un-popped kernels in the bag. I would estimate at least half the bag didn’t pop.
Let’s think about it…All of the kernels received the same amount of heat. The same amount of grease and butter. They were all in the same bag being cooked by the same equipment. For the same amount of time! Yet, only half the kernels responded to the outside factors such as pressure, heat, and time. Half the kernels remained unaffected. They stayed as they originally were.
I know it will require some stretching, but isn’t the life of the “average Christian” comparable to this?
How often do we all sit in the same assembly, hearing the same message, listening to the same teachings, receiving the same message in God-honoring song…only to be unaffected by the Word? Not having changed AFTER we’ve been in the House of God.
We might see several people who seem externally impacted through an outward expression of praise, yet, for many we leave as unstirred, unaffected, and unmotivated as before we entered the House of God. This isn’t right, my friends!
It’s a common adage, but I believe it is true ~ "We get out of church, what we put into it!" It’s necessary to pray for our Pastors, Associate Pastors, church leaders and their families. We must pray for the atmosphere of the services ahead of time – that everything said and done would honor God and not mankind. We must ask God to join us in the midst – to have the Holy Spirit speak to our hearts. If HE doesn’t join the worship service, then what’s the point?!
5 Tips for Preparing For Church
1) Get up on time! If you like to hit the snooze button, allow an extra 15 minutes of “over sleeping.” (I’m speaking of Sunday mornings). If your church services begin at 10:00, try not to set a pattern of arriving around 10:30. I try to make it a point not to judge those who regularly come late…that’s between them and God. But most employers would at minimum give us a “write up” or fire us if we were late too often! Just keep that in mind. God deserves to be the preeminence!
2) Set the tone for your home. Play Christian music in the background. Find a Christian preacher on television that preaches and teaches the uncompromising Word. Listen to it as you bustle around.
3) Make breakfast simple! If time management is an issue, or if you have many kinds to prep for service, keep it light. Eggs Benedict or made-from-scratch waffles may be better suited as a Saturday breakfast. (You get the idea).
4) Recognize within yourself if you are merely “getting ready” for church or are you preparing for Church?! Talk with God as you are preparing. Pray. Commune with Him. Many of us multi-task very well. We can pray while brushing our teeth, feeding the cat, toasting a bagel in the toaster, etc. If you’re going to church without praying and some type of meditation, then you might want to develop better habits. Seriously, what if the Pastor prepared for services this way? No preparation? Personally I find no value going to a building with a bunch of other people on Sunday morning and evening just to “meet” and fulfill our sense of duty. But meeting with other Believers to share and to support one another; to meet together and to advance the Kingdom of Christ in worship and praise…then yes! There is deep value in that!
5) Be Filled With Gratitude ~Don’t take for granted the FREEDOM (in America) that we have to worship in our church of choice! We can read the Bible with NO fear. I recently read a missionary who said, "We can worship the One True God without trepidation of being tortured or brutalized. People all over the world risk their lives to share the Gospel. People are killed in many countries for worshipping Jesus Christ and their refusal to deny the Blood-Stained banner of the Gospel." I don’t say this to browbeat you or depress you, but we need reminding of these truths.
So, whether you’re on top of the mountain right now, or fighting a spiritual battle, whether you have 5 kids or no kids, whether you teach Sunday School or rarely attend because you often over-sleep, I encourage you to make the process of going to church a little more joyful. A little less military style. A little more God-minded.
It will help you to be affected, motivated, blessed, and joyful when you join “all the other kernels” to worship HIM. Don’t be one of the dried up kernels, taking up space, looking good, smelling good, but unwilling to serve a purpose! (ouch!)
Look UP my friends!
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