Monday, September 17, 2012

Being Prepared

It's Saturday night and I go into prep mode.  I lay out the girls dresses, socks/tights, shoes and of course the all important hairbows.  I get my outfit ready.  My loving and helpful husband picks out his clothes and even gets them ironed (I know... he is awesome!).  We get our Bibles together and place them in the "Bible bag".  I get a little bag ready for my youngest daughter with snacks and an extra change of clothes (you never know with a 2 year old).  I also try to get things ready for our breakfast and the all important Sunday lunch. Everything is ready before we turn out our lights.  The Devil really knows how to mess up a Sunday morning, so we must be prepared so everything goes as smoothly as possible.

I remember as a child and teenager watching my mother get things ready on Saturday night as well.  I also remember her always cutting out  and preparing  her lesson for her Preschool Sunday school class that she taught for many many years.  She also got things ready for our big Sunday lunch.  It was her Saturday night routine, and I am so very thankful I had that example to follow!

As our family gets ready for Sunday mornings, I know we are taking care of our physical appearance and our preparing for our physical need for food.  But am I getting myself and my family spiritually and mentally ready for the day ahead as well?  Sunday is the Lord's day and should be focused on Him, not on our outfits and the big meal.

Did I pray that my family and I would touched by the message, be convicted of any sin in our lives, to hear from God personally, to worship Him with our whole heart?  Did I pray we would be an encouragement to someone or the to the class we are teaching?  Did I pray for the pastor and his message he has prepared, for the Sunday school teachers, the worship pastor and choir, the youth pastor and workers, and everyone involved in the church ministry?  Did I pray for the unsaved that might be in the congregation, the neighbor we have invited, the visitor that is trying to get back into God's will, those going through a death in their family, or any other hurt or trial?

I got us "ready", but am I really "prepared" to go to the Lord's house?

No matter how much I try to have a smooth Sunday morning, it doesn't always work.  Sunday before last was such a nice Sunday morning; everything went splendidly.  Yesterday...whole different story that involved a nasty burn on my arm and my brand new dress being ruined :-(   But we made it to my father-in-law's church on time and with smiles on our faces and hearts ready to worship.  The Devil could have defeated us, but we refused to let him.

Every night I prepare for the day ahead, but Saturday night needs to have a little extra time built in to make sure my whole family is ready and excited about worshiping God and going to His house to worship Him.  We can't just be prepared physically but spiritually and mentally as well!

Today's Verse
"For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand, I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness."   Psalms 84:10

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