Come, Now Is The Time To Worship

Today I had the privilege of attending Faith Bible Church in Lincoln Nebraska, which had a special group from Sweden doing the music and sermon this Sunday. Of special note, they played "How Great Thou Art", which was originally from Sweden. Cool! I wish I had more information about this group, as they are doing a tour to raise awareness (and prayerfully money and missionaries too) about Sweden's highly secularized society. Good stuff.

I was thinking about one of the songs we sang today. “Come, Now Is The Time To Worship”, I love this song. It's perfect for playing before going to church, or while doing chores in the home, or driving in the car, but not in church. I don't mean it's wrong to sing it in church, just that I don't like to. After getting cleaned up, dressed up, prettied up, and driving the nicest car available to church, it doesn't feel right to be singing, “Come, just as you are”. Real life just isn't all of those at once most of the time.

Of course the sentence could be understood to mean our condition mentally and spiritually, which is a great sentiment to encourage, but I still can't ignore the effort we make to present ourselves as already clean.

Yep, it's a nit-pick, and yep, I'm a nit-wit. Yet it bothers me like a tick, and I won't quit. Whoo. It's late.

The time to give your heart is not after going somewhere special. Coming to God does not require an attempt to look better first. Clean hair and fresh breath are not pre-requisites for worshiping the Creator.

Come, NOW is the time to worship. With our lives, and not after feeble attempts to redeem ourselves, for God's power and grace is made perfect in our weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:9)

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