Closed Doors
Closed Doors
“I wish one of you would shut the temple doors, so you would no longer kindle a useless fire on My altar!” (Mal. 1:10)
All or Nothing
God prefers substance over style in worship. We can’t simply go through the motions on Sunday morning and think we’ve pleased God. In Malachi 1, God says He would rather we close the doors to the church and not attend than to worship halfheartedly, with sin in our lives.
As men we tend to compartmentalize our hearts. A piece for our wives and families, a piece for work, a piece for play, a piece for God on Sunday. In our minds it all adds up to 100 percent. But God wants—no, He jealously demands and deserves—100 percent of our heart first. He knows that any part of our heart we hold back from Him is a part easily compromised.
Pregame Gut Check
So how can we keep from lighting useless fires in worship? Why not prep for Sunday morning worship the night before? Reflect on your week. Do you have sins to confess? Relationships to restore? Attitudes to adjust? Ask the Holy Spirit to hold you up to His light and show you anything that would keep you from revering His name in worship the next day. You could close by praying for your family members.
Then what? Don’t be surprised if you have a fight on the way to church! But keep your cool. God’s about to do something great in your family, and He’s starting with you. So come to church prepared, bringing all of your heart.
Bottom Line
If you’re playing games in worship, God would rather you play them at home.