- Expect God to show up. Sometimes he’s in the sermon. Sometimes he’s in one of the songs. Sometimes it’s a simple look, or hug, or conversation you have in the church foyer. You are not here by accident. God brought you here for an encounter with him; look for it.
- Pray the songs. Very few songs, whether they be hymns or contemporary praise choruses, consist of propositional truth. Most often, they are the response of the human heart to God’s Truth at work in someone’s life. Try to enter into that experience as you sing (or listen to someone else sing). Find the connection to God embedded in the music; make it yours.
- Practice seeing your church family with God’s eyes. Look around at the people sitting next to you, standing in front of the congregation, sliding late into the back row. If Jesus were in your church, which person would he heal? Which person would he ask to follow him? To whom would he say, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more”? Who would be quietly reaching to touch the hem of his garment, hoping no one will notice as the pain and shame of a lifetime are wiped away? Practice seeing them with the heart of perfect love.
- Take notes. Always take a pen or pencil along to church. This is the most important tool I’ve found to bring the inspiration of worship home with me. Make notes in your Bible, in your bulletin, while you listen to the sermon. Record what God is saying to you. Even if you never look at them again, writing them down will help fix them in your mind.
- Connect church to the rest of your life. If the speaker doesn’t provide ideas for action steps at the end of the sermon, take the time yourself to jot down something you can do the following week. It should be something that will help bring the day’s message into your home, your neighborhood, your workplace. And make sure to do it!
...When You’re Not In Church
- Practice the presence of God. In his spiritual classic The Practice of the Presence of God, Brother Andrew explains how he brought himself to be aware of God’s presence in each moment of the day. The result, for him, was that “[t]he time of business does not with me differ from the time of prayer; and in the noise and clutter of my kitchen, while several persons are at the same time calling for different things, I possess GOD in as great tranquillity as if I were upon my knees at the Blessed Sacrament."
- Fill your life with God’s word. There are as many ways to do this as there are people reading. Reading the Bible daily, listening to Scripture as you go about doing other things, talking to friends about God’s work in your life, or filling your ears and heart with spiritual songs can all put God at the forefront of your mind throughout the day.
- Thank God for the people, places, and things in your daily life. Paul tells us to rejoice always. Make this specific and practical by thanking God for the people and things that cross your path throughout the day. The more you open your heart in praise to him, the more you’ll see his blessings around you.
- See the world with God’s heart. Ask God to help you see the people in your neighborhood, your workplace, and your home as he sees them. If Jesus were there, what would wring his heart with sorrow? Where would he rejoice to see people taking baby steps toward God’s kingdom? How would he minister to the people with whom you come in contact?
- Make yourself available to God’s Spirit. As you move through your day, listen for God’s leading and make yourself available to do what the Holy Spirit asks you to do. As you cultivate a sense of God’s presence and see the world with his eyes, his Spirit will prompt you to take action. Follow his leading and see where the adventure will take you!
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